White Knight
by aradian nights
Summary: Ventus is the lowly servant of Naminé, The Master's curiously insane ward, and yet, she's become dangerously attached to him. With the secrets Terra is hiding from him, and the secrets Aqua is trying to hide from the Master, it's hard for Ven to be Ven.AU
1. With a Killer

**White Knight: One :With a Killer**

_Snip. Snip. Snip._

"It's very white today…" The girl's servant mused, walking to the only window in the room. It's size made up for the lacking numbers. The glass spread from the floor to the ceiling, the intricate metal windings made the simple window look extravagant. The servant pressed his hand against the glass. It was cold, and it stung his skin. He watched fog materialize beneath his palm, and smiled.

"And we know how much you love white," He murmured, leaning his forehead against the glass.

_Snip. Snip. Snip._

A flurry of fluffy looking snowflakes fluttered around the air, dancing around each other until they collided with their comrades on the ground. The balcony was completely drowned in white. It would hurt most people's eyes, but since the servant was quite accustomed to the sting of white by now, he felt at home with the cold white abyss outside.

_Snip. Snip. Snip._

The servant straightened up, turning to face the young girl. Her pale face was void of emotion, blank, blank… snip. Snip. Her cloudy eyes were gazing at her white hands, and her white hands were cutting.

_Snip. Snip. Snip._

The servant placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, his usually happy demeanor fading.

_Snip. Snip. Sni-_

The girl froze, her eyes widening a bit.

"Miss Naminé." The servant said softly, clutching her hands, which held a pair of silver sissors. The pale girl stared at the servant, her mouth opening slightly in shock. "Please stop."

The girl sat in her white chair, in her white room, in the top floor of the largest house in the town. She tilted her head at her servant, mouth still parted slightly. White stuffing surrounded her white chair, in her white room. What was left of a small stuffed bear sat in her lap, disfigured.

The girl's parted lips turned upward, and she giggled. The servant's eyes widened as she dropped her sissors, and the mutilated bear. She never listened to him. She never looked at him. She never spoke to him. The servant was positive she hadn't even acknowledged his existence.

She stood, her pale fingers closing around the servant's wrist. The boy looked down at her, too surprised to speak. She stroked the sensitive skin around his wrist, and smiled.

"What's your name, Mister Servant?" She said sweetly, bringing his hands up to her lips.

The servant stammered, as the girl pressed her lips against his wrist, rubbing the back of his hand to her cheek. "I-it's… Ventus, Miss Naminé." He said quietly, wondering what to do.

He yelped, as she slid her tongue along his wrist. "Mmm…" She giggled, licking her lips. "Mister Ventus, then." She slid her hand up his arm, and along his chest, until she reached his collar. She smiled, and gripped the cotton of his dress shirt. She pulled him down to her size, and bent forward. Her cheek brushed his, and she felt his flesh immediately flare with heat. She pressed her lips to his earlobe, a smile still sitting ghostly upon her face. "I never gave you permission to touch me, Mister Ventus." She whispered eerily. The boy made a small noise of surprise, and backed up. The girl sighed, and released his hands.

The servant boy, Ventus, immediately took five large steps backwards. His face was red, and his eyes were wide. "O-oh. Of course, Miss Naminé. I…" He gave a small laugh, making the girl's eyebrows raise. "I should've realized that. I'm sorry, Miss Naminé."

The girl tilted her head at him once more, and grinned. "Are you here to play with me, Mister Servant Ventus?" She asked, stepping forward. The boy stepped back.

"I'm sorry, Miss Naminé… I don't…" Ventus's eye brows furrowed, making the girl stop. The grin slid of her face.

"You don't want to play with me, Mister Ventus?" She breathed. Ventus could hear the hitch in her voice.

"Oh, no, Miss Naminé! It's not that… it's just… aren't you a little old to be playing games, Miss Naminé?" The boy asked curiously.

Ventus had been serving this girl since he was eleven. Every day he'd come into the room, and find her cutting up something of her sister's. Every day, he'd bring her tea, and cake, and talk to her as if she knew he was there, and smiled, and let her sister barge in and furiously attack the girl, until he realized it was his duty as her servant to prevent this from happening, and stopped the fight.

Why had she finally acknowledged him? It wasn't like he hadn't touched her before. In fact, most of the time, it was he who would tuck her into bed, when she would fall asleep on the balcony.

Why was she suddenly paying attention to him?

The girl frowned, and her soft yellow hair bounced a bit as she floated toward him. "Too old to play?" She murmured, her eyes narrowing. "Nobody's too old to play, Mister Ventus."

She stopped in front of him, and frowned. Ventus looked at her, and actually began to see the teenager in her. She always looked the same to him. Like a broken doll, not speaking, just repeating. Repeating her actions over and over.

She sighed, and turned around. "Bring me some tea, will you, Mister Ventus? And maybe get me another of Xion's stuffies?" She looked over her shoulder at him, and smiled. Ventus's eyes widened.

"O-of course, Miss Naminé… but I don't think I can get past Riku." The boy muttered, walking to the door.

"Riku?" Naminé repeated, aimlessly following Ventus to the door. "Isn't he the Master's son?"

Ventus swallowed, and looked at her. She had her chin cupped in her right hand, her eyes distant, and foggy. Her blonde hair curled along her face delicately, following her every movement. She really was quite pretty, Ventus realized. Like Aqua, maybe?

"Yes, he is." Ventus said, nodding at the girl. He had to be friendly- he had been around her for almost four years. It was about time she started speaking to him.

Her frown deepened. "He doesn't seem very much like the Master." She said quietly.

Ventus glanced at the doorknob in his grasp, and shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I think he got his mother's personality."

"His mother?" Naminé repeated. She was staring at her feet now. How rapidly her mood changed!

"Yeah. She died when he was younger apparently." Ventus said frowning. "Conveniently." He added under his breath. The girl looked up, and grinned.

"Well, he's really no match for me, is he?" She giggled, ducking under Ventus's arm as he opened the door. Ventus sighed. This really was new to him.

"Miss Naminé, I don't think you should-" But the girl was already halfway down the hall, spinning, and humming as she went.

Ventus ran a hand through unusually spiky hair, shaking his head. He certainly had a story to tell Terra when he got to the kitchen.

* * *

"Oh, Terra~!" The whole kitchen seemed to freeze as the sound of Ventus's voice filled the room.

Terra winced, looking up from his cake. "Shit." He dropped his fork, and slid out of his chair. One of the cooks, and young lady, looked down at him curiously.

"Master Terra-" She started, but stopped when he pressed a finger to his lips, and bent down onto the floor.

"I'm not here, alright?" He winked, slipping under the table cloth. He caught sight of the girl blushing, before returning to whatever she was cooking.

Terra always sat at the small round table in the corner, and ate a piece of cake before he went out on another mission. He liked this routine, because he usually got into the kitchen around the time Aqua came around. And he always enjoyed talking to the young blue-haired maid. Though she never wore her dress around him. She always changed right before going to the kitchen, because she believed that Terra was an unbelievable pervert. Which he was, when he was around her. He couldn't help it. The girl was so easy to tease.

He heard Ventus enter the kitchen, and greet the staff. His footsteps got louder, as he walked toward his table. They stopped, and Terra watched the boy sit down. Surprised, Terra wondered if he was actually safe.

The table cloth lifted a bit, and Ventus's leaned over to grin at Terra.

"Howdy, Terra!" He chirped, as the dark haired boy grumbled, and crawled out from under the table. "Can I eat the rest of your cake?"

"No." Terra growled, grabbing the plate out from under the fork Ventus had picked up. The blond whined as Terra took the fork from him, and sat down in the seat opposite him.

Ventus was quiet for a few minutes, watching Terra eat the rest of his cake, before collapsing into a hunch in his chair.

"Miss Naminé talked to me today." He sighed burying his face in his arms.

Terra raised his head at this news. "What?" He put down his fork. "Naminé? Are you sure?"

Ventus scoffed, looking up at his friend with a scowl. "Of course I am! I've been serving her for years! I'm not an idiot, I can tell if that girl talks to me or not."

"Could've fooled me." Terra grinned wolfishly. Ventus's scowl deepened.

"What? Shut up!" He said defensively. Terra chuckled, and drummed his fork against the side of his plate.

"It is intriguing, though, I have to admit…" Terra murmured, tapping the utensil against his lips. "Naminé only really speaks to Aqua. And Xion, of course, when she gets caught destroying Xion's toys."

Ventus sighed, and set his chin in his palm. "Tell me about it. I didn't even think she knew I existed."

Terra rolled his eyes. "She knew, alright." He muttered, placing his fork down. "But she was ignoring you. See, Naminé has this system- Her, scissors, art, Xion, Aqua. Nothing else matters. She didn't understand you being there all the time, so she ignored you, and pretended you weren't in her ultimate picture. But she must've realized that you have become a major part of her life, and welcomed you into her little circle of insanity." His mouth transformed from a doubting frown to a cheeky grin. "Congrats, I think she likes you."

Ventus gave Terra a blank stare for a minute, cocking his head to the side. "Whaaat?"

"Okay," Terra sighed, placing his hands on the table. "I'll simplify it. Naminé. Has. A. Crush. On. You."

Ventus's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Really?" He blinked. "Oh. That would explain a few things…"

Terra leaned forward, and smirked. "A few things?"

Ventus nodded. "Yeah… see…"

"Oh, both of you are here today?"

Ventus jumped, and turned his head. Aqua had apparently entered the kitchen, because she was walking over to their table with a very happy smile on her face. It fell a bit when she caught Terra's eye, but she quickly reacquired it.

"AQUA!" Ventus shouted, jumping up to hug her. Aqua laughed, catching him in the hug before she fell.

"Ven!" She giggled, ruffling his hair a bit.

"Aqua, Aqua!" Ven wailed into her arm. "Miss Naminé sexually harassed me today!"

"_WHAT_?" Boomed Terra, obviously not expecting this.

Aqua looked equally surprised, her eyes widening. "Naminé… what?" She uttered quietly, staring down at Ven with surprise.

A few staff members looked at them with surprise, before quickly turning back to their appointed food when they saw Terra's glare.

Ven took a deep breath. "Okay, so I was talking to Miss Naminé, pretending like she was listening, you know? So she was cutting up something of Miss Xion's, and I took her hands to stop, and then she went all psycho and _licked_ my wrist, and pretty much molested me. Then she started having a completely normal conversation with me, acting like she hadn't just molested me." He finished, panting.

"She licked your wrist?" Terra asked, his tone a mixture of revulsion and awe.

"Yeah."

Aqua still seemed a little shocked. "Molested…?" She murmured.

"Yeah."

"I think she loves you, Ven." Terra hooted suddenly, throwing his head back.

"_No._"

"Yes!"

Ven's face became very, very red, and he swatted Terra's head. "Shut up! She does not!"

Terra's face was also red. His uncontrollable laughter seemed to be cutting off his air supply.

Aqua managed to choke out a small giggled, making Ven turn on hair.

"_Aqua_!" Ven yelped, "you're supposed to defend me! You know Miss Naminé better than anyone! Why are you laughing? You should be defending her."

Aqua's small giggles turned into full on laughs, and she shook her head, waving at Ven to tell him she didn't mean it. It didn't stop the blond from collapsing back into his seat in frustration.

Aqua calmed down, leaving Terra to suffocate from the lack of air.

Ven froze, suddenly remembering why he had come to the kitchen in the first place.

"GAH!" He bolted out of his chair, and rushed over to the kitchen staff. As quietly as he could, and took a tray of tea, and headed toward the door. Aqua raised an eyebrow as Ven gestured for her to open the door for him. She did so, and he quickly rushed out of the room, careful not to drop any tea.

Aqua sighed, and looked at Terra, who had stopped laughing, and was grinning at her. He raised an eyebrow. She wasn't looking at him now. His grin faltered.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked, leaning forward.

She backed away, and rubbed her arms, as if she were cold. There was no draft in the room, but it was very much winter outside. Terra hesitated, before sitting up straight. "Aqua…?"

She sighed, plopping down into the seat Ven had just left. She avoided eye contact, and folded her hands in her lap. Terra began to feel uncomfortable. The bustling of the kitchen made it less awkward, because the noise drowned out a lot of thought, but Terra was still fidgeting in his seat.

"Hey, Aqua, what-"

"There's blood on your arm." She cut off impassively, though she didn't look up. Terra froze. Then he swore.

"Did Ven see?" He asked, trying to brush it off his flesh.

"Don't do that in the kitchen, Terra." Aqua said coolly. "Go take a shower, or something."

"Aqua, look-"

"You don't have to explain." She sighed, standing up. "I understand. I really do."

"No, let me just-" Terra stood up as well.

"I don't really want to hear about it." Aqua muttered, striding toward the door.

"I wasn't going to talk about _it _it, Aqua, but please, just-"

Aqua paused to open the door. "Just stop, Terra." She whispered, stepping out of the kitchen, making Terra curse mildly.

Terra swallowed, watching her leave. He had another mission, and he could feel Aqua's spell work it's way up his legs. He cursed a bit more foully. Making the girl from earlier turn to look at him.

He tried to wash the panic from his face, and grin at her. Though he knew how much trouble both he and Aqua would be in if anyone realized she had cast a spell on him. Accidental or not.

"Aqua." He hissed through his teeth, begging Aqua was just outside the door. Of course she wasn't.

"Aqua!" He called, louder, and more forcefully. He waited, and attempted to call her name again, when she stormed into the room, looking like a hurricane.

"What?" She snapped.

Terra leaned back and forth, glancing at the girl he had been flirting with, who was looking curiously at them.

He gestured to his legs, and gave her a sheepish grin. Aqua looked at his legs, then up at him. Her eyes widened a bit, and she uttered a quick "release" before anything fatal could occur. Fatal, as in, someone realizing Aqua could do magic.

He step forward, testing his legs, before walking up to Aqua. "Please just listen to me?" He whispered.

She glared at him, and turned to walk out of the room. "I have no business with killers." She said coldly, before the door slammed in his face.

* * *

_First of all... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! OH MY GOSH! Metrifyx! I'm so sorry! I was so busy angsting over writer's block I just shoved your VenAqua on the backburner. I'll work on it soon, I promise!_

_Second of all... this story. I want it to go places, but we all know I'm afraid of commitment. XD No, seriously, I've never finished a story to date. Let's map out the ending while I work on chapter... *Looks at documents* Three? Decent. I'll update Two within the week. ^.^_

_Third of all... Namine. I love writing her in this story. She's so insane (She's actually insane in this story. There's a reason for that.). I love it! ^.^_

_Fourth of all... I checked this once, but fanfiction ate it, so forgive the mistakes. It's three AM, and Dani needs to get up for her hair cut tomorrow (I'm getting it cut like Lan Fan (FMA)!)_

_Fifth of all... Um... OH! Next chapter: The Red Game. Yeah. I'll update sometime this week, kay? Start of school sucks. -.-_

_BYE! ^.^_


	2. The Red Game

**White Knight: Two :The Red Game**

"Please don't, Miss Naminé." He moaned.

The small, pale girl was tangled in a sort of silk sheet, laying sprawled on the ground. With scissors and a stuffie, of course. She ignored him, and tore a nice gash through the thing's stomach. She set the scissors at her side, and reached into the… stuffed cat, apparently, and tore out it's cotton viscera. She giggled, tearing the rip even more. Ventus winced.

"Miss Naminé…"

"Stop being such a…" She flashed him a toothy grin, tearing the stuffed animal almost completely in half. "Scaredy Cat, Mister Ventus."

Ven gaped openly at the girl, and stumbled back as she stood, tossing the apparent skin of her prey behind. "Bored now." She yawned, walking over to the blond. She tilted her head, and walked past him, toward the window.

"Play with me?" She asked.

Ven ruffled his hair, and laughed a little. It had been a week since Naminé had began to talk to him. And he was beginning to find her company very enjoyable. When you got past the fact that she was more than a little mad, she was very fun. It was never dull, and he was always waiting for her next move. Though he still knew nothing about her.

"What do you want to play, Miss Naminé?" He asked, making her giggle.

"You rhymed!" She laughed, spinning a bit. "Oh… I don't know, Mister Ventus…" She stopped spinning, and frowned.

"Oh!" She rushed up to him, grabbing his hand. "I know! Let's play the Red Game!" She gasped, dragging him toward the door.

"The Red Game?" He repeated as she pulled him down the hall.

"Yes." She said quietly, her personality completely flipping. Ven blinked, trying to figure out what she just switched to. Insecure? Shy? Something of the sort.

"How do you play?" He asked, watching her closely. Naminé always wore the same simple white dress. Ven was sure if he dug into her clothes he could find something else, but she liked it. And it suited her. It made her unusually pale skin glow pink. Any other color would flush her out.

Naminé's tiny sandals clapped against the steps as she walked. "It's not hard. The first person to see a Red Man wins." She paused, and looked down the banister. "I used to play it with someone. When I was little."

This was news to Ventus. He completely pushed the fact that he had no idea what a Red Man was out of his head. "When you were little?" He asked.

She nodded, and began to walk again. "I can't really remember too much, because the Master took me away, and locked me in my room. But he- the boy I used to play with- he was nice. They were nice…" She shrugged, and spun around. "Oh, no! No, no! You can't know about it! No! Don't tell, Ventus, please don't tell!" Ven was taken aback by the sudden outburst, and he gaped.

"Huh?" There were tears in her eyes, threatening to pool over and fall. "Oh! U-uh, sure! Of course!" Ven grinned, and nodded. "I won't tell anyone, okay? I promise." His grin widened, and he reached out to pat her head. She gaped a bit, and didn't object. Ven had just realized it was Naminé's first time using his name without 'Mister' in front of it. He was happy.

"Mmm?" She stared at him in awe. Like he was some exotic creature that had just landed on her shoulder.

"Okay, let's go play that game!" Ven cried, running past her. She squeaked, and jumped to catch up.

"Ah!" She screeched. "Wait!"

Ven smirked, watching her stumble to catch up with him. Really, she wouldn't of been able to if he hadn't stopped. He was too fast. He always has been. Too fast.

Naminé dove at him, clinging to his side. "You're evil!" She panted into his arm. Ven laughed, and tried to shake her off. He'd lose balance if she didn't. But, then… why not tease her? She didn't seem to be in a psycho mood. It could be alright. "Very, very evil." He gave a small cackle, wrapping her in a headlock. She objected, smacking his chest a bit, before she just limply cursed into his shirt. It was muffled, but he still laughed.

"Okay, okay," Ven said, releasing her. "Do you still want to play that game, Miss Naminé?"

"You can just call me Naminé…" She said quietly, walking slowly down the steps. A change again? "And you should be ashamed of yourself for asking. Of course I still want to play!" She took hold of his arm, and half-pulled, half-dragged him down the steps. It was then he began to think over what she had said earlier, about her friend. She said the Master had taken her, and locked her in her room. Did that mean she had been grounded on some level? Forbidden to see her friend again? And what about her sister? The two were so obviously parallel, it was uncanny. How can they be so different, look so different, yet be so the same?

Who was this girl, exactly? And why did the Master even have her and her sister in his home? It wasn't like with Riku, or Terra. Riku was his son. Terra was his nephew. They were directly related to the Master, and had reason to be within his home. And they _worked_. Well, in a way. Riku as Xion's bodyguard, and Terra… well, Ven wasn't really sure what Terra did. He never told him.

But neither Naminé nor Xion were related to the Master, and yet they were treated like royalty. Or, Ventus reasoned, prisoners. Naminé rarely left her room when he usually watched her. She only left to raid Xion's room. But other than that, she usually just… stayed quiet, and tore things apart. Why was she like that? Ventus drew a breath, making the girl look at him.

"Something on your mind, manservant?" She asked casually. Ventus grimaced at the new name for him. He wasn't going to tell Terra of _this_. He'd be mocked into never showing his face again.

"Not really," Ven said, letting himself be pulled down the endless stairwell. "Mi- Naminé." He quickly caught himself. He really wasn't in a mood to have to have scissors jammed into his torso. Knowing Naminé, she probably had a pair at hand.

"You seem distracted." She sang, stopping as they finally reached the foot of the stairs. From where he was standing, it seemed like the spiral stair case just spiraled forever. He tilted his head up, trying to follow the pattern all the way up. He had done this often when he had first come to serve at the Master's house. Aqua constantly reminded him not to space out too much, or else. Aqua had been so sweet, and the way she had said 'or else' made Ventus grin. He hadn't listened, of course. Aqua blamed herself when she found the angry red marks on his back. For not warning him thoroughly enough.

"I think I've been here too long." Ven said finally.

Naminé's eyes widened. "No. No you haven't. You've been here a perfectly appropriate amount of time." She spoke with a kind of forced cheeriness in her voice. "Why?" Her eyes flashed dangerously, making Ven step back in fear of getting sliced by a pair of scissors. "Did someone talk to you? Did they tell you to leave?" She took a hold of both of his arms, and gripped them tightly. "You can't leave. You can't! You're helping! You're helping me come back! Don't you see? I might be able to find myself, again!" She seemed hysterical now.

A few maids past, and stopped to stare. Luckily enough…

"Naminé!" Aqua's voice swam into his mind, and his head snapped in the direction it came from. The sight was quite comical.

Aqua's pale blue hair was tied back, her choppy bangs pinned behind her ears. The traditional black and white maid's dress did not hang loosely on her figure, nor did it hug it. Ven scarcely ever laughed when he saw Aqua in the her work attire, because this was how he had met her. And he always was happy to note that Aqua trusted him to see her in the dress, and not Terra, who has known her since she arrived at the mansion. She had been six then, and Terra had been eight.

Naminé's hands slipped from Ventus's arm, and she stared at Aqua with a sort of beaten expression. Her averted gaze resembled that of a child who had been caught eating a cookie before dinner.

"What happened?" Aqua asked, placing her hand on Naminé's shoulder. She huffed, and shrugged it off. "We were playing a game." She muttered, turning away from the blue haired maid. Aqua closed her eyes, and sighed. "Of course you were…" Her gaze flickered to Ven, who was standing rather foolishly against the banister.

"What really happened?" She asked weakly. She was obviously tired. Ven knew she probably had a late night, training. How she hid the fact that she could use a Keyblade _and _magic was beyond him. The girl was skilled.

"Nothing, Aqua." Ven admitted, rubbing the back of hiss neck sheepishly. "Honestly, nothing. She's fine, and I'm fine." He gave her his best grin, and took Naminé's hand, whizzing past Aqua, and quickly waving her goodbye.

Aqua sighed once again, and looked around. The other maids had left, and she needed to go tend to… the Master's room. She shivered, hoping he wasn't in when she went to tidy up.

* * *

"Ha ha! Aqua is the best!" Naminé cheered, as the came up to the courtyard. Ven whooped in agreement, collapsing onto a snow-covered bench. Naminé scooted in beside him.

"She's been here longer than I have…" She murmured, kicking some snow beneath the bench. Ven perked up. He really was interested in hearing about her past. "Really?" He asked, tilting his head. "How long have you been here?"

Naminé made a slight whimpering noise, bowing her head so her hair shadowed her eyes. "I don't know." She whispered.

Ven shifted, suddenly confused. She had to know, didn't she? She was there when he came, but she wasn't when Aqua came. So in between the seven years Aqua and Terra were living in the mansion without him, Naminé and Xion moved in. Ven tilted his head back, and looked up at the sky. Little wisps of clouds rolled lazily around, letting the sun go full blow at the ankle deep snow. The snow twinkled in reply, little crystals sparkling. Ven was really enjoying himself. He never really… thought about it before. His job to serve Naminé. He had never objected, never even _thought_ about who he had been before he had wound up being Ventus- servant to the Master of the Dark Region. Ven smirked a bit. The _Dark Region_. Their world obviously lacked the imaginations to come up with a proper name for the districts in which people lived in. Though mainly people just stuck close to the Dark and Light Regions. They were the most powerful, and you were less likely to die of starvation in them.

Ven brushed a small amount of snow off the bench, feeling too distant for his liking. "I'm sorry." He sighed, giving the girl a small smile. "But if it's any consolation, I can't remember any of my past, beyond turning up here, so I guess it's not so bad." He laughed, giving her a playful push. She looked up at him, and gawked.

"You don't remember your past either?" She whispered. Ven could almost see the wheels turning in her head. "That's not good, manservant." She muttered miserably.

Ven shrugged. "Nah. It kinda sucks. But it's all okay, 'cause I've got Aqua, and Terra, and you." He shot her a wide grin, and folded his arms behind his head. "I don't need anything else."

Naminé stayed silent, her head bowed. Ven didn't want to bother her train of thought, as he would probably get stabbed. He really needed to get her to lay off the scissors. If he could just get her to swap the pointy objects for crayons, Ven would be a very happy, and less stressed, person.

"It's no good." Naminé hissed, suddenly, making Ven jump. She began to tear at her hair, muttering ferocious words. Ven yelped, grabbing the girl's arm. She continued to scratch at her scalp, and Ven watched, horrified, as the wonderfully silky blonde locks became flecked with red.

"Naminé!" Ven gasped, pulling her bloodied hands from her scalp. "Stop it! You're hurting yourself!"

She shrieked shrilly, and pounded her somewhat restrained fists against her skull. Ven had seen her do this before. It had only really happened twice. Once when he had first came, and Aqua stopped being her servant, and another quite out of the blue, just before she was about to go to bed. She wouldn't stop until she'd beaten herself to near death. Which scared him even more now, because he had finally befriended the girl.

"Naminé!" Ven screamed, pulling her hands away from her head. She wriggled, and made an inhuman sort of growl, and she chomped down furiously on her arm, and continued to bite it until she drew blood. Ven pulled her up, but she only did more. Her nails dug into the skin of her hand, and she sobbed, trying to push him back. It was as if she were telling him to leave her alone. But how could he? She was about to practically kill herself!

"Naminé, _please._" Ven shouted, looking around the courtyard for someone to help. "Stop! Please, Naminé, you've _got to stop._" She threw herself to the ground, and screamed. Ven didn't exactly know why. Maybe because of the pain, or because of how cold the snow was, and they really hadn't changed into snow compatible clothes so that made it worse, or maybe she just wanted to scream.

Ven finally spotted someone walking into the courtyard. Obviously the noise had lured him in. Ven recognized him, a little. He had seen him around. The mask was unforgettable, as was his choice of clothing. Ven shouted at him, as he tried to pull Naminé to her feet. The boy tilted his head, and strode a little closer, as if daring them to come to him. And that's when she stopped. Actually stopped. Completely ceased all beating, and laid still in the red and white snow, staring at the masked boy. She smile slightly, and choke out a tiny, "I win." before passing out.

* * *

It was very puzzling. He shot glances at the masked boy, who was leaning against the wall. _Why is he still here?_ Ven had to wonder, edging away from Naminé's bed. He didn't want to be here when the Master came in. But he couldn't leave Naminé, because it was his job to serve her. If the Master found that he was not with her at a moment like this… Ven's mind could only stray to the whipping he had gotten several years prior, and he shivered.

The masked boy wouldn't budge. Ven couldn't tell if he was looking at Naminé or at him, with the glass of the mask being so tinted. He was unnerved, and more than a little jumpy. He wanted Aqua. Desperately. He really, really wanted Aqua.

The door flew open, and Ven winced, feeling the wrath already.

The Master stepped in, golden eyes taking in the sight of Naminé in her bed. They were stone cold, and they shot to Ventus. Coolly, the Master stepped forward, giving the masked boy a small pat on the shoulder as he did so. The boy stood up straight, and left. And order to leave? Ven couldn't help but gulp, backing against the wall. He was dead. Or to be whipped. Or to be whipped until dead.

Ven stared at the Master, trying to figure out what he was going to say to Aqua for the last time. But he couldn't think of anything significant that would make her remember him forever. He knew what to say to Terra. "Take care of Aqua." It was perfect, fool proof. He'd remember it, and him. But to Aqua? What was he supposed to say? "Don't worry about me?" She would worry. Maybe cry. Probably cry.

Ven really didn't want to die.

"Ventus." The Master spoke with such authority, Ven couldn't help but straighten up. Authority, and malice. What was he going to do?

"Ventus, Ventus…" The Master's face remained completely void of emotion. What was he playing? Ven swallowed.

"Yes, Master?" He mumbled, his eyes glued to the Master's amber gaze. They were too frightening to look away.

The Master backed away from him, and gave him a bone chilling smile. "Would you mind telling me why Miss Naminé is currently comatose?"

Ven took a deep breath. "Um… You see… I just took her outside… because she wanted to play a game… and… um…" Ven stumbled over his words, and he switched his gaze to Naminé's bed. He couldn't look at the gold anymore. It hurt. "S-she… um… she just… kinda… threw a fit."

"A fit." The Master repeated in a disbelieving tone. He had stepped forward again. Ven knew this was a warning. Look, Ven, look.

Ven's gaze returned to the wizened old Master, and he nodded. "I couldn't stop her, Master Xehenort. I'm sorry…" Ven closed his eyes, bracing himself for his punishment.

It came. A fist connected quite hard against his cheek. Ven was knocked to the ground, his head barely missing Naminé's nightstand. He managed to stifle a moan, and he opened his eyes. Above him, head covered mostly in sheets and blankets, was Naminé's pale face peering curiously at him him from over her matress. Ven couldn't help but wonder how on _earth_ she was awake.

The Master was over him before he could really take in what was going on. He grabbed Ven by the collar, and yanked him off his feet. He was slammed into the wall before he knew it, and stars began to appear in his vision. He wasn't liking being treated like a doll.

"If this happens again, Ventus…" The Master let go of him, and began to stride toward the door. "Well, it's obvious what will happen then, isn't it?" He left the room, letting the room feel as chilled as the snow on the balcony.

Ven felt sickened at the thought. He really didn't want to die. Ven slid to the floor, and breathed. He was alive. At least. He was perfectly fine, besides the bruise on his cheek, and the dizziness. Fine. Just fine.

He felt a pair of tiny arms wrap around his shoulders. Ven sighed, and looked up at Naminé. She looked worried. And very sane. He liked the sane, gentle Naminé. She was nice.

"I'm fine." He told her, though her face gave him an incredulous look. "I'll be fine. Just don't do that again." The look on her face made him know she wouldn't. Ever.

He grinned, and ruffled her hair.

It was only then he realized what Naminé had meant when she had said she won.

The masked boy. He was a Red Man?

He asked her. She nodded, and unwound her arms from his shoulders. He asked another question. This one made her look down.

"A Red Man is…" She tilted her head back, staring at the whiteness of her ceiling. "They're… people who… are stained red."

"But what does that mean? 'Stained red'?" He asked leaning forward.

"Red Men are monsters that are stained red. Bloody, bloody red." She glanced at him. And with that glance, he understood what a Red Man was.

Red Men were murderers.

_

* * *

_

_Yeah. I promised I'd get this up today, and I did. WHOO! So, I started school today (Meh), so I don't really know how often I'll be updating. I've got the next chapter done, but I'm going to wait until I finish chapter four to put it up. Same goes with four. And so on. This way no matter what, I'll have a chapter finished._

_Please review everyone! Especially you, Angel. *Scowl* XD No, I'm just kidding. I'm pretty sure she hasn't read this yet. And if she has, I'll kill her for not reviewing... Erm... no. Nevermind. I can't kill the person who makes the best Teraqua and VanAqua fanfictions. Wah. ;] Love you anyway, Angel. I know you've probably been busy, so when you do get around to reading this... Well, I like making my AN's long, so you can understand why I started picking on you._

_Anywho, next chapter: Bloody Marionettes. Terra and Aqua centric, mostly. _

_So, review! :D_


	3. Bloody Marionettes

**White Knight: Three :Bloody Marionettes**

Aqua rushed in quickly after she found out what had happened to Naminé. She took one glance at Ven, and cursed. Aqua! Cursed! Ven actually snorted a bit.

Aqua shut the door quickly, and walked over to Ven's side. "The Master wants your head, Ven…" She sighed, placing her hand on his cheek. His cheek warmed considerably, and it wasn't from his blushing. When Aqua pulled her hand away, his cheek had healed.

He gave her a half-hearted grin. "What would I do without you?" He asked weakly.

"You'd probably be dead." She muttered, glancing at Naminé. She had crawled over to Aqua's side, and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"Aqua, Aqua…" She giggled, closing her eyes. "Magicky Aqua."

Aqua bent down, and smiled a little at the young girl. "Miss Naminé, would you mind getting up on the bed so I can heal you?" She asked, letting a grin slide easily to her lips. Ven couldn't help but smile himself. Aqua didn't smile too often, but when she did, it was radiant.

Naminé nodded, and scrambled quickly to her bed. Ven didn't know that Naminé knew about Aqua's Magic. Though he felt she probably had known before he had. Maybe Naminé really _was_ more sane than he thought.

Aqua managed to get Naminé completely healed, though she looked troubled when she stepped away. Naminé looked completely healthy, and she was grinning happily. She swayed and giggled. Ven laughed, and walked over to her.

"Better?" He asked, leaning against Aqua's arm. Naminé nodded enthusiastically.

"Perfect!" She quipped, pushing the sheets away from her. "Let's go play!" She gasped, jumping off her bed and making a dash toward the door. Aqua made a yelp of objection, and Ven caught her arm. She stopped, and looked up at him with a frown.

"Mister Ventus!" She whined pulling on her arm. "I want to play!"

"You have to rest, kay? You pretty much tried to kill yourself back there." He laughed humorlessly.

Aqua nodded in agreement, pushing the girl back towards her bed. "Miss Naminé, you and Ven can play tomorrow. But right now you have to rest. Okay?" Ven glanced at the giant window leading to the balcony, sighed. It was already nightfall. And he hadn't caught Terra once.

Naminé made further complaints, but eventually the duo coaxed her back into her bed. In agreement that they'd stay with her until she was asleep.

"Did you see Terra today, Aqua?" Ven asked, sitting in a chair he had pulled over to the bed. Aqua's head snapped up in surprise. Ven felt uneasy with her expression. She only got the face when she was truly bothered.

"What do you mean? I see him everyday, Ven. Why?" Her voice was clipped, and Ven knew something was wrong.

"I was just wondering. I didn't see him today." He shrugged, and glanced at Naminé, who was staring at the window.

"Ooh, I want to go play…" She whispered, slouching in her bed. Ven laughed, and patted her head.

"We'll play tomorrow. I promise."

Naminé grumbled somewhat in response. "Tell me story, Aqua." She demanded, swatting Ven's hand away. Ven almost felt hurt. But she probably didn't mean it. Probably.

Aqua closed her eyes, and nodded. "Alright." She smiled, and looked at Naminé. "What story?"

Naminé sat up straight, and grinned. "The one about the marionette!" She squealed.

Ven laughed suddenly. The Marionette. Aqua had told him that story when he had first came. Naminé gave him a look, a sort of glare. Ven smiled, and ruffled her hair.

"Aqua used to tell me that story too." He explained, looking at the blue haired girl. She nodded, and rubbed her eyes. Ven had almost forgotten- Aqua was probably extremely tired.

"Alright, alright." She began to rock on the balls of her feet, biting her lip. "Um… There was once a puppet master who enjoyed making his creations suffer. In the only way he could think. He made their hearts ache." She continued to chew on her lip, glancing up at the ceiling. She obviously hasn't told a story in years. "The puppet master knew a seer who gave him the news that his son was going to die. The puppet master was distraught, because he really did love his son. So he created a marionette, one that looked and acted like a real girl. The one thing that made the marionette the most real, was the burning in her heart. The puppet master was cruel, and he knew that if he made it so the marionette loved his son, she would do anything for him. Even give her life to save his." She breathed, and looked at Naminé for approval to continue. She nodded quickly, clutching her sheets to her chest.

"So the marionette lived, day after day, desperately in love with this boy who could never love her back, and eventually, she grew tired. Because even if he loved her, he really couldn't. Not completely. Because she wasn't really there. And she knew that she would have to die for him. And she accepted this. She would die for him. That was fine- but then he started to forget her. What was her name? The boy didn't know anymore. And soon, he couldn't even see her. So the marionette ran, out of heartbreak, not understand how it was fair for her to give up her life to save someone who wouldn't even remember her. But she couldn't stop the aching in her heart, because she was created to love the puppet master's son, and she went back. She found him dying of an unknown disease." Aqua leaned against the wall, much like the masked boy from earlier had. "Unable to help herself, she gave her life to him. He forgot about her. She would never be happy. But at least she wasn't a puppet anymore." Aqua's lips twisted sourly. "I need to edit that ending. I don't like it."

Naminé agreed quietly. Her mood had changed again. Ven had to admit, he would've liked a nicer ending. "Maybe the marionette found someone like her, who had to give up their life to safe someone else. Then she could willingly give up her life to be with them…" Ven offered, a little sheepishly. Naminé squeaked, and nodded her head furiously.

Aqua laughed, and nodded. "I like that ending better. The marionette's happy."

Naminé nodded, and yawned, laying down. She obviously was tired. It was written all over her face.

She was asleep within the first few minutes of the next story.

Ven stood up, yawning himself. "What a day…" He moaned. Aqua nodded. She was distracted. That much was obvious.

"Aqua…?"

Aqua sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Someone healed Naminé before I did."

Ven looked up. "What?" Had he heard right?

"I thought maybe I had made a mistake, but it was obvious I hadn't. How else could she have woken up so quickly after that? And I could feel it." She shivered, and walked to the door. "I don't like it."

"The magic, or the sensing?" Ven whispered as they entered the hall.

"The magic."

Ven walked behind her, trying to keep in time with her steps. "Why? I thought you'd be glad someone else here could do magic."

Aqua closed her eyes, stopping. "That's not the point."

"Then what _is_?" Ven asked, stepping forward so he was face to face with her. It was obvious he was growing. He was almost the same height as her. Aqua glanced away.

"The person who healed her… there was so much darkness in the power…" She pressed her knuckles to her lips. Her face had turned sickly pale.

Ven stared at her. "Darkness?" He whispered.

Aqua glanced at him. "I'm sorry." She whispered, turning around. Aqua didn't want to talk about it. Ven sighed, walking the opposite direction to his room. Fine with him.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Yes, Terra."

Terra paced across the courtyard. His clothes were clean, ready for his new mission. He looked very professional. And stealthy. It was obvious who he was by looking at him.

"Aqua, do you think maybe you-"

"I _know _what I sensed, Terra." Aqua growled, folding her arms across her chest. Terra held up his arms, as if surrendering. "Sorry, but… Aqua, the Master had everyone who practiced Magic burned. A long time ago. It's not possible anyone here could've healed Naminé besides you."

"I'm living proof that not everyone was burned. And I _know_ someone used magic to heal Miss Naminé. It was such a dark magic, I could tell by looking at her." She looked impatiently towards the mansion. It was barely dawn. She hadn't gotten any sleep, and she had been waiting in the courtyard for Terra to show up for a while now. She was beginning to think she would have to go back inside from the cold.

But he came. Happy to see her, as always. At least she wasn't mad at him anymore.

Terra sighed, and also looked up at the mansion. But his gaze was filled with loathing. He really hated the old thing. It had turned him into a monster. He could only hope that he could keep Aqua out of this for as long as possible. She'd either end up like him, or get burned.

He knew Aqua would rather burn.

"Look, I don't know who healed her, Aqua, but this can't be good. I don't want you to use any magic for a while, okay?" Terra glanced around the courtyard, but he knew there was no one there. No one came out at dawn. They usually waited, for some reason.

Aqua looked uncomfortable with his request. "But what if you or Ven get hurt?" She fiddled with the scarf around her neck out of anxiety. Terra sighed.

"Yeah, I know, but you can't. Not for me, anyway. Do you hear me, Aqua?" He asked.

"I hear you perfectly clear," Aqua said bitterly. "I just don't agree to this."

"Aqua…" Terra growled in frustration. The growl was so intense, Aqua took a step back out of fear that he'd lash out at her. "If you could pick up the darkness in a simple healing spell, whoever cast it could probably sense your light. And they'll come looking for you. Except they'll probably find you, because I'm positive he or she would be to pick up your little light signature from a mile away." He grabbed her hands, and stared at her. "So _be careful_, damn it."

Aqua stared at him for a moment, unsure of how to react. She turned her head away, not wanting to look him in the eyes. It was hard to do on a normal occasion, and right now it was torture. "Terra…" She pulled her hands back, and brought them to her chest. "You're my best friend. And you're going to come back here spitting up blood one of these days- God knows you have before." Terra grimaced at the memory. "I'm not going to watch you die, Terra. And the same goes for Ven. I won't use magic as often as I have been, but I _will_ heal you two if you need it. So shut up, and don't tell me whether or not I'm allowed to save you. Because I will. And you can't stop me."

Terra stared at her. She was creating her own grave. Why did she have to be so damn loyal to him and Ven? He'd have to speak to the younger boy. Maybe he could talk some sense into Aqua.

"Aqua… look…" He closed his eyes. "I really don't want anything to happen to you. And you _know _that. We just out stubborn each other. But you're going to listen to me, because I don't care if I die or not." Aqua automatically objected harshly. Terra quickly silenced her. "Aqua, you, me, and Ven. We're all we've got. And like hell if I let something happen to either of you. So, you. You are going to shut up, and freaking listen to me when I say _please_. Don't use magic. Not for me."

Aqua looked ready to object again, but Terra grabbed her arm and yanked her into a hug. She muttered an "ow" into his chest, but submitted to getting cuddled. Terra always gave the best bear hugs.

"Terra, your hurting me." She said into his chest. He gave her a tiny smirk.

"You deserve it."

She sighed, and closed her eyes, burying her face in his chest. He didn't smell like blood, or anything. He did, sometimes, but she never went near him when that was the case. He just smelled… earthy. Like how the grass smelled after it rained. This brought back wonderful memories. She remembered the first time Terra had talked to her. It had been here, in the courtyard. At dawn.

_Aqua managed to stumble over every obstacle that came her way as she headed down into the courtyard. She had never been here before, and it was a little while until she had to start working. Maybe she could just sit on the bench and read until everyone was up…_

_She paused at the archway leading into the wonderfully crafted courtyard. She could make out a dark shape on one of the benches. An animal, maybe? She squinted, placing her hand on the smoothly carved stone arch. She gasped, and stepped back. It was either a small bear, or a person. She didn't like her chances with either._

_She took another step back, pushing reading to the back of her mind. What if she got whipped for straying into the courtyard? Her knees began to wobble at the thought. She took one last step back, before she spun around to run._

_Her wobbly knees gave way, and she crashed to the ground. She could feel the fear clutching her chest, as she curled into a ball. Fetal position wouldn't save her from a bear, or a whipping, but it made her feel less fearful._

_Footsteps sounded almost immediately, followed by a string of curses. It was a person, at least. That meant a whipping. She gave a small whimper at the thought._

_She felt herself being picked up gingerly, and she thought she was going to be dropped. He was going to smash her head against the concrete! She was going to die! She prayed that she would be alright, muttering pleas._

"_Hey, shut up." He said softly. She closed her mouth, and stole a glance at her captor. He looked older than her. Ten? She breathed heavily, and blinked back a few tears._

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" She gasped into his chest._

_He set her down on a bench, and smirked into the gray dawn. "Don't be. I won't tell anyone you were here." He winked at her. "You're fine."_

_She was clutching her chest with both hands, heaving. She needed to get used to being here. She needed to figure out what she could and couldn't do. She needed to…_

"_What's your name?" The boy bent down onto his knees so he could talk to her face to tear streaked face._

"_A-Aqua…" She breathed, pulling at the hem of her nightdress._

_His smirk fell. "I know you. The Master was talking about you coming. You're going to be a maid, right? You're too small to be working. I don't know what he's thinking…" He ran his hand through his hair, and shrugged. "I'm Terra, by the way. You probably already know what that means, and I know what you're thinking. Don't." His face hardened, and he stood up. "I'm nothing like my uncle."_

_Aqua shivered. She knew full well who he was now. The Master's nephew, of all people to run into! Why couldn't she have ran into a cat, or something? "He said I-I need to w-work or else I'm gonna end up dead. Like my mommy and daddy." She hiccupped. "He said that dead means gone forever. Stuck in nothing. I don't want to…"_

_Terra stared at her for a few moments. The courtyard was lighting up around them. "Don't listen to him…" He muttered, pulled her to her feat. "He's a heartless bastard."_

_Aqua sniffled, feeling fresh tears spring to her eyes. Terra looked around, and bent forward a little. "If it's any help, Aqua, my mom and dad are dead too. You don't have to worry about dying, okay?" He gave her a weary smile. "I'll protect you."_

_She hiccupped again, and looked up at him. She could see him clearly now. He looked older than her, but she was sure was closer to her age than she had originally thought. She managed to choke out a sob, before throwing her arms around the boy._

_Even then he had that earthy smell about him. _

Maybe she could forgive him for what he's done. Maybe it would all be okay, and she, Terra, and Ven could get out of the Dark Region. Maybe she could cuddle up with Terra, and forget how much blood lies beneath his gloves. And maybe, just maybe, she could be happy.

But she knew none of that would ever happen. Because this was her life, and her grave.

* * *

_FLASH BACK TIME YAAAAAY! Expect more of them. Mainly Teraqua, because I fail at VenAqua. (Honestly, I'm trying to come up with a cute flashback scene for them. Nothing. And I've got Teraqua's lining up.) Which is why I probably won't even bother with VenAqua in this fic. But oneside will be hinted (Because I LOVE you, metrifyx. ^.^ And that's just the way the next chapter came out. XD)._

_NOTES! The marionette story was inspired by a video I watched. It was about Namine and Sora. XD Another note, why the hell is Terra wearing gloves if they're gonna get dirty anyway? O.o Dani does not know. Another. Young Aqua is... suffering from severe memory loss. She's forgotten that she was adopted... XD Hopefully I'll actually REMEMBER that in later chapters!_

_Next chapter is Ven and Namine centric. Oh, AND REVIEW DAMMIT! *Glower* Or else I WILL kill off Terra (do not doubt. I will. I'm already going to torture him. Ever heard of those whips with the pronged metal at the end? *Smirkles* We were talking about slavery yesterday in class, and my teacher brought it up (being as blunt as possible with the whip thing. Cause I didn't have the strongest mental image EVER after hearing that there was a metal piece at the end of the whip. I think she saw me flinch, because she was standing right in front of my desk.). And then I zoned out and thought about Terra getting whipped. XD). NOW REVIEW!_

_Next chapter: Push and Pull_


	4. Push and Pull

**White Knight: Four :Push and Pull**

Naminé hummed softly, scribbling on the paper Ven had given her. She was listening to him more than ever, after the incident with the Master. It was like all she wanted to do was please him. She hadn't picked up her scissors once, and was happily drawing herself, Ven, and Aqua. Ven sat across from her, unsure of how to handle the situation. He was so used to her being crazy, he didn't know how to deal with a Naminé that was acting normal. She didn't seem to acknowledge his discomfort. And she seemed happy.

Ven didn't understand it. He didn't understand _her_. How could she be… so…

Naminé's humming trailed off, and she stared at her drawing. Ven sat up straighter, trying to get a good look at her eyes. They seemed thoughtful.

"Ventus?" Her voice rung softly in the quiet air. Ven leaned forward.

"Yes, Naminé?" He asked, placing his arms on the table.

Naminé's mouth twisted into a confused frown, and she set down her crayon. "Ventus, are Aqua and Terra in love?" Her voice was so innocently confused, and curious, he almost didn't understand the question.

He spluttered, and his mouth fell open. "Wh-what? Aqua and Terra? No way! Why would you think that?" He asked staring at the fragile blonde with shock in his eyes.

Naminé shrugged. "They were hugging in the courtyard this morning. At least I think it was Terra. I don't know him that well."

Ven gaped, trying to figure out what she meant. Aqua and Terra? Hugging in the courtyard? He closed his mouth, and swallowed. "Um… I don't think that means they're in love, Naminé." He laughed easily.

She looked up at him, and leaned back into her chair. Her lips tilted upwards into a smile. "I believe Terra's in love with her."

Ven couldn't imagine it. Terra loving Aqua- not in that way, he didn't! He couldn't! It just… didn't make sense! "Why would you think that, Naminé?"

"It was quite obvious." Naminé said prudently. "The way he was talking to her."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Her face split into a wide grin, and she pressed her finger to her lips. "It's a secret."

"What'd he say?" Ven stood, and stared at the younger girl. What did this mean?

"Nothing really significant. It was just the way he said it. I could tell." She shrugged, the smile wiped clean off her face.

Ven paused, realizing something that made him walk over to the large window he recalled examining just before Naminé had first spoke to him. He pressed his forehead against the glass, and peered into the snowy balcony. And there they were, tiny, human shaped footprints.

"You went outside without any shoes on?" He asked, hoping he didn't sound too worried.

Naminé gave a tiny shrug, and leaned her head back. "I couldn't find my other sandal." She said nonchalantly.

Ven lifted his head from the window, and faced her. He tried to scowl, and look stern, but it wasn't a quality of his, so he ended up feeling foolish. His expression softened, and he sighed. "You're gonna end up sick, Naminé." He breathed.

"No." She murmured.

"Yes. You're going to end up with pneumonia, or something." He swallowed, wondering how he'd explain that to the Master.

"I won't get pneumonia from being outside for such a little time. I went back in when my feet felt numb." She picked up a brown crayon, and began to doodle in the space next to the drawing of Aqua. "Besides…" She whispered, making the brown curve, then going up. "It's not like I jumped into a half frozen river, like Terra did a few years ago…"

Ven's eyes widened. "What?" How did she know this about Terra? Now that he thought about it, she seemed to know a lot more than she let on.

"Before you came, when Aqua was still my servant, her and Terra went to go for a walk so she could read one of her favorite books to him- you know what book, right? She read it to me, so I can only assume she did so with you as well…"

Ven nodded. "Yeah, um… It was a fairytale about the Light and Darkness, wasn't it?"

Naminé smiled. "She hasn't read it in a while."

Ven looked down. He didn't know why Aqua had stopped reading that story. Or why she had stopped reading in general. Maybe she just didn't have the time?

"Anyway, her book fell into the water, and Terra jumped in after it." Naminé yawned. "Aqua told me after Terra fell asleep that day. She didn't understand why he jumped in to save a book. She's really quite oblivious, isn't she?" Her face split into a toothy grin.

Ven was silent, thinking over what she just told him. Was it possible that Terra was in love with Aqua? Ven shook his head. Wouldn't Terra have told him if he was?

Of course not. Ven sighed, brushing his hair out of his eyes. He wouldn't tell Terra, if he were in his shoes. Naminé must understand him better than Ven had anticipated. What if he _did_ love Aqua?

"So… what exactly did you see while you were spying on them?" Ven asked, sitting back down.

Naminé shrugged, running a peach colored crayon along the paper. "All I really got out of it is that Terra doesn't want her to use magic for a while, and that he didn't want her to heal him if he got hurt. Or something." She dropped the peach crayon, and picked up a beige one. "He's very foolish."

Ven laughed. "Yeah, that's Terra." He leaned back on the legs of his chair, and shook his head. "She won't listen to him." He muttered, letting the chair fall forward onto four legs.

"No…" Naminé picked up a black crayon, and ran it along the picture. "Probably not."

"So?"

Naminé looked up from her drawing. "So?" She asked in her strangely vacant voice.

Ven's mouth twitched. "Aqua's going to get herself in some major trouble if she's not careful…" He muttered, glancing at her drawing.

"Yes." Naminé agreed, setting her crayon down. She picked up the picture, and wiped any crayon shavings from the surface.

She smiled slightly, and handed it to Ven. He looked at it uncertainly, before taking it into his hands.

There, next to Aqua, hand intertwined with hers, was a blobby doodle of Terra. Even if it looked quite childish, it was good. He could see a yellow star between the interlocked squiggles that were Aqua and Terra's hands. Aqua loved stars, Ven remembered. His eyes flickered to Namine and him. They too were holding hands with a star in between.

"What does the star mean?" Ven questioned, handing the drawing back.

Naminé parted her lips into an 'o', and pressed her finger against them. Secret.

"Will you ever tell me?" Ven asked, with a wide grin.

She giggled, and stood up. In a blur of yellow, she was rummaging through her wardrobe, tugging out beautiful white dresses, all identical to the one she was wearing. She found whatever she was looking for, and danced back to her bed. She climbed onto it, and stood up on wobbly legs. Ven laughed, and watched her tape the drawing to her wall.

She jumped down, and spun to face him. She looked overjoyed, beaming at him with her wide foggy eyes. "Maybe when you're willing to hear, Ventus." She said airily, spinning toward the wardrobe.

Ven shook his head, wondering if he'd ever find out. Probably not. She paused at her wardrobe, and began to climb up into it. She giggled, and took a hold of the doors.

"Go hide and I'll count!" She said in a hushed voice. Ven gaped at her, as she shut the doors of the wardrobe. He distantly heard her counting inside the white wooden box, but he was unsure of what to do. Hide? Hide where? Terra was surely on a mission, meaning he wasn't in the kitchen, and Aqua was probably cleaning. Where could he go?

But this was an order, wasn't it? Naminé wanted him to go hide. So he had to. Unless he wanted to risk another fit. Which he didn't. Ven carefully slipped out of the room, and wandered down the hall. He didn't know where to go, really.

Until a tiny black haired girl stepped into his path. Ven stopped. Her hair was cropped at her jawbone, and she wore a plain black dress, similar to Naminé's white one. She wore black slippers on her feet, tied with ribbon that ran up her legs. She stared at him blankly, blue eyes sharp, and focused, very unlike Naminé distant foggy ones. Her skin was peachy, darker than Naminé's pure white complexion. Her lips were thinly pressed together, and she gave off a sort of empty vibe.

"You're Naminé's manservant." She commented dryly. Ven winced. What was this 'manservant' nonsense?

"Yes, Miss Xion." Ven bowed his head, hoping Naminé was counting past one hundred.

She tilted her head, and smiled a little. "I apologize for her behavior, Mister Servant. She's not in her right mind." She walked past him rubbing her eyes a bit.

"I think she's wonderful." Ven blurted without thinking. He didn't like that Xion apologized because her sister was insane. It wasn't right.

Xion spun around, her eyes widened. She didn't seem to process his words at first. "Really?" She murmured, turning again. She didn't walk away. She just stood there.

"Yes." He said firmly, gaining more courage. "She's bright, and happy, and crazy, and shy, and sadistic, and wild, and wonderful." Ven evenly stated, folding his arms behind his head.

"Do you mean that, Mister Ventus?" A soft voice rung in the air, lacing it with an almost poisonous vibe.

Xion stepped aside to let her sister by, and the blonde took slow, careful steps toward the boy.

Ven's eyes widened. He hadn't expected her to be right there. How had he not seen her?

"Of course I do!" Ven laughed, leaning back on his heels. "Why wouldn't I?"

She stared at him, cloudy eyes trying to analyze a lie. It would seem she didn't find one, because she automatically ran to him, throwing her arms around his torso. Ven toppled over, not expecting a hug, and flushed as she curled up against him. "Thank you." She whispered, dazed eyes filled with joy. Ven gave a sheepish laugh, and looked toward Xion. She was looking at them with a strange expression on her face. Her mouth was twisted into a frown, and she back away, toward her room.

"Wait! Miss Xion!" Ven called, as Naminé stood up. Xion stopped, and her sharp gaze flickered to him. "Yes?" She asked in a strained voice.

Ven pulled himself to his feet, and smiled at her. "Where are you going?"

She gave him a look that told him she didn't understand why he was asking. "My room…" She said quietly, glancing toward her door.

"Why isn't Riku with you?" Naminé piped up, clinging to Ven's shirt like she was about to fall. Xion blinked, and turned toward her room.

"He's out." She said simply, continuing toward her door.

"What do you mean?" Naminé asked with a yawn. "He's your bodyguard. That means he should be with you all the time. Not like my precious manservant." She giggled, burying her face in his chest. Ven blushed. She had called him a precious manservant.

"He's his own person." Xion sighed, shaking her head. "He doesn't have to be around me all the time."

"But where'd he _go_, Xi-Xi!" Naminé called, as the young black haired girl opened the door.

"Don't call me that." Xion said in a small voice. She straightened, and looked at Naminé.

"He went out." She repeated.

"Surely you know where he is." Naminé insisted.

"I have an idea." Xion said with a frown. "Please leave me be, now."

"Nuh uh." Naminé smirked, tearing her grip from Ven. "I wanna know where, now."

"Well, get used to disappointment." Xion snapped, entering her room, and slamming the door behind her.

Naminé made a face, and growled. "_Bitch_!" She hissed, lunging toward the door. Ven caught her quickly, and she tugged to get free. No luck, as she struggled against him.

She let herself go limp, and she pouted. "You're no fun." She whined, facing him.

Ven smiled a little. She had switched from psycho to normal again. Good. "Sorry." He trapped her in a headlock, much like he had the previous day. She shrieked, and pounded on his chest. "Ventus, let go!" She laughed. He kissed her hair, and smiled as she froze. "Come on, let's go get some hot chocolate." He grinned, letting go of her.

She gaped at him, looking obviously lost. "Huh?"

"Hot chocolate." He repeated, taking her hand.

"I like chocolate…" Naminé muttered, letting herself be dragged.

"I know."

"I like you, too." She mused at the steps.

"I know."

Naminé paused, but said nothing. In fact, she was completely quiet until Ven shoved the mug of milky brown liquid into her hands.

"Oh!" She gasped, taking a sip. "Oh, oh! Yummy! Ventus, look it's yummy!" She rushed over to Terra's table, and began to chug the drink.

Ven's eyes widened, as it crashed to the floor, the mug breaking into pieces. She was coughing. "Too hot, too hot!" She coughed, wiping her mouth. Ven smiled slightly, grabbing a rag to clean up the mess. She was so fun to watch.

Ven was so happy to be in her company.

Because, really, she always kept him on his toes.

He liked it that way.

* * *

Aqua hummed to herself as she walked into the forest. She knew her way around the woods very well, since Terra had been taking her into them since they were children. She fallowed the large, almost frozen river deeper into the forest, until she found a small clearing. It was tiny, and filled with snow, but she and Terra had used this as their sparring spot since she found out she could wield a Keyblade. She didn't want to actually practice in the winter, because she tended to get close to falling in the river. So she laid out a small blanket, and laid down on it. She wondered if Terra or Ven would show up, but she knew the chances of either were slim. Naminé kept Ven clear into the night, and Terra…

She didn't want to think about where he was.

So watching the stars alone wasn't too bad, but with the snow slowly soaking the blanket, and the cold, she wondered how long it would be until she was back at the mansion.

She sighed, and closed her eyes. She had to wonder how different life would be on the other side. The Light Region.

If only…

Not far away, a masked boy sat, cross legged, a hidden smirk frozen on his face.

"Found you."

* * *

_Erm... DUN DUN DUN! That counts as a cliffhanger, right? XD_

_I guess you could call this my special celebration for BBS coming out in English tomorrow (PUMPED, BABY!). Anyway, I'm tired, so I'm going to go to sleep soon (I hate school. I'm going to have so much homework tomorrow, and it's going to take forever. DAMMIT! *Growl*)._

_Angel reviewed! REJOICE! SHE DIDN'T DIE! But let us mourn the ending of a fantastic story. *Bows head* ThatwasdedicatedtoME. DotK, you were great. But IAIS lets me pick what pairing I want in the end, so I kind like it better. XD_

_OKAY! So, next chapter: Scars That Won't Heal. Whoo._


	5. Scars That Won't Heal

**White Knight: Five :Scars That Won't Heal**

It used to make Terra nauseous, the stench of blood. The whole thing made him physically sick. So sick, in fact, that he'd actually end up not going to missions because he was retching on the bathroom floor, with Aqua trying to calm him down. That was before she figured it out.

Now it just made him want to see Aqua and Ven more. Because maybe if he could make them smile, or tease them, their expressions would allow him to forget.

It was all he really asked for. To wipe his mind of all he's done.

He trudged behind Vanitas, glaring at the younger boy's back. He had been close to throwing up this time. Vanitas's reaction was too gleeful.

Though he was Terra's unofficial partner, he knew absolutely nothing about him. He was secretive, and quiet. The only time he talked was when he wanted to torture someone.

It was rare to find Terra anywhere near Vanitas when he got into that kind of mood.

He never saw Ven anymore. He was always with Naminé, and he never managed to get into the kitchen when Terra did.

Vanitas's ghostly footsteps echoed with his own, as they approached the mansion. They slipped in unnoticed, and Vanitas disappeared almost immediately upon entry.

Terra didn't go to the kitchen, because it was too late, and Aqua was probably asleep anyway. Everyone probably was.

He crept up the spiral staircase, managing to find his room in the dark. It was good to have such keen eyes. It helped with crap like this.

He shut his door as quietly as he could, and peeled off his red speckled shirt. It fell into a crumpled heap at the foot of his bed. Terra slogged into his bathroom, managing to make it to the sink before the contents of his stomach emptied into the shiny porcelain. He felt a shiver run up his spine as he clutched the edge of the sink, the foul taste of bile making more sick rise in his throat. When his retching stopped, he slid to the floor, pressing his sweaty forehead against the cool glass. He breathed heavily, closing his eyes in hope if wiping the face from his memory.

The ghostly image was just more prominent in the darkness of his mind. His eyes snapped open, and he heaved to get some air into his system. To his chagrin, he was vomiting again. This time he wasn't fortunate enough to get back up to the sink.

Where was Aqua when he needed her? He pulled himself up toward the sink, and gasped for something that didn't taste like his lunch mixed with acid.

He swallowed, feeling the sickness die down. He breathed, and turned on the faucet so the sink could get cleaned. He grabbed a towel, and tried to mop up some of the sick from earlier.

He tossed the towel into a bin in the corner, and looked up at his reflection.

He could barely recognize himself. His face was smudged with dirt, and blood, and damp from sweat. It had a greenish hue to it, and his dark, matted hair was sticking to his skin.

Terra coughed, sliding back onto the floor.

* * *

The next morning was kind of hazy for Aqua. She spotted Ven and Naminé playing a game in the courtyard, but she didn't comment on it. Though Aqua was sure the younger girl was supposed to be on bed rest, this was happening more and more often. Aqua was really happy that Naminé had decided to start talking to Ven. She was acting so normal, Aqua was almost forgetting that she was unstable. She hasn't had a fit in a few weeks. Maybe this could work out?

She bumped into Aerith, a fellow maid, on the way to Terra's room. Her long, soft brown hair was braided elegantly down her back, and she had pinned her bangs back enough to see her sparkling green eyes gazing dreamily out a window.

"Are you alright, Aerith?" Aqua asked, slowing to speak to the girl. Aerith hummed slightly, and turned her head to look at the younger girl.

"Oh, I'm fine!" She giggled, her lips forming a silly grin. "I'm just day dreaming, that's all…" She sighed happily, and turned back toward the window. Aqua shuffled to her side, and gazed off onto the horizon. She could see what Aerith was staring at. The large wall that separated the Dark Region from the Light Region. It was menacing, and showed the whole Dark Region that this was where they belonged, and leaving was a horrible choice.

"I can't see the appeal of day dreaming about that thing." Aqua said staidly.

Aerith shook her head, her long braid swinging from side to side. "It's not the _wall_, Aqua!" She laughed. "It's what's on the other side."

Aqua frowned, and gazed at the dark gray barrier. "The Light Region?" She whispered.

"Yes!" She her airy voice echoed in Aqua's ears. "It's beautiful…" She murmured, leaning on her arms.

Aqua swallowed, imagining the dark green grass, and bright yellow tulips of the Light Region. She had never been to the Light Region, yet she had a vivid image of the colorful world beyond the wall. Everything was so much brighter there. It was liked it was in the Dark Region, in many aspects. The trees, the layout, the snow. But everything in the Dark Region was muted. The whole image of the Light Region was like a burst of color in a grayscale world.

Aqua smiled slightly, and shook Aerith's arm. "I know. But please don't talk about it so openly, okay? I don't want to see you get whipped, Aerith."

Aerith looked up, surprised. Her face softened, and she nodded. "I'm sorry, Aqua." She said softly, standing up straight. She was slightly shorter than Aqua, despite the fact that she was older.

She sighed. "I need to go work on Master Riku's room." She shook her head, and grinned at the younger girl. "I'll see you later, okay, Aqua?" She winked, scurrying away.

Aqua stared after her, wondering how the girl was so happy. She shrugged it off, and continued her way to Terra's room.

Terra's room usually wasn't messy- he never really was in it. And he usually liked to tidy up so she wouldn't have so much work to do. The first thing she noticed when she entered the room was the bed. It looked exactly the same as it did when she fixed it yesterday- straight and neat. If Terra was anything, it wasn't neat. Especially when he fixed his bed. He usually just threw his blanket over his pillows and called it made. The second thing she noticed was the shirt. Terra never left his laundry out for her to see. She frowned, and bent down to pick it up. It was dark, but the blood on the front was very noticeable. It was obviously not his.

Aqua grimaced, and wondered why Terra hadn't picked it up when he had left this morning. Surely he realized she was coming in to clean today? Aqua's eyes flickered around the room for anything else out of the ordinary. She spotted the bathroom door ajar slightly, and Aqua edged her way to it, Terra's soiled shirt still in hand.

She managed to stifle a gasp when she entered the room. Terra's head was propped against his tub, his face so pale, Aqua's stomach twisted viciously, he looked dead. In fact, Aqua was beginning to panic. His body was still, and Aqua's mind began to shut down. She couldn't imagine life without Terra… He had been a part of her life for so long, with him gone, it would be like there was a piece of her missing. She rushed to his side, shaking him, hoping for a sign of life.

"Terra!" She gasped, dropping his shirt at her side. She placed two fingers on his neck, searching desperately for a sign of life. She felt her panic subside when she found a steady pulse.

She sighed, relief washing over her. She placed her forehead on his chest, and breathed deeply. He was fine, she told herself. He was fine.

She felt him stir, and she hurriedly pulled her head back. His eyes opened for a fraction of a second, then closed.

"Terra?" Aqua whispered, trying to shove the worry out of her voice.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice, and his gaze flicked to her. His eyebrows furrowed, and he rose his hand a little, as if he were trying to reach out to her face.

"A-Aqua?" He muttered hoarsely. Aqua nodded, and stifled the urge to hug him.

His eyes seemed to brighten a bit, and he smiled. He didn't say anything else, because his eyes began to droop. Aqua quickly shook him, and they flickered up to her again.

"Terra…" Aqua murmured, "Please tell me you're hung over."

He coughed slightly, and closed his eyes. Aqua prepared herself to shake him again, but his face broke into a satisfied smile.

"What?" Aqua asked, leaning back. His smile turned into a smirk, and he folded his arms across his chest.

"You're wearing your dress." He chuckled, letting the crook of his neck rest on the rim of the tub.

Aqua's face flared with color, and she scowled. "I guess you're okay, then." She muttered, standing up.

"No!"

Aqua looked down, to see Terra struggling to stand up. She swallowed, hoping she wasn't too harsh. She bent down again, and placed a hand on his shoulder, making him relax. He leaned his temple again the rim of the tub, and stared at her.

"I'm sorry." He said, his dark cobalt eyes molten with sadness.

Aqua shook her head, and smiled slightly. "Don't be. _I'm _sorry. You look awful… and… I guess I'm a bit snappy with you." She sighed, and looked down at her knees.

"You've always been like that with me," Terra laughed quietly. "I always thought it meant that you trusted me."

She looked up, her mouth twisting in confusion. "What? Why would you think that?"

He smirked a little. "Don't you?"

"What?" Aqua asked, hoping she didn't look too confused.

"Don't you trust me?" He raised his head innocently, and gazed at her with his sad blue eyes.

Aqua's eyes widened, and she gave him a look of impatience. "You're an imbecile if you think that I could be friends with you for so long and not trust you." She said imprudently.

"Imbecile?" Terra repeated softly.

"Yes." Aqua nodded stiffly. "Honestly, Terra, you can't really think that I don't trust you!" She snapped. She then smiled weakly. "You're so silly sometimes."

He gave her a blank, un-Terra-like stare. "You're foolish to trust a killer."

"I realize that." Aqua said quietly. "But I can't do anything about it. I can't help it."

He stared at her still, as if trying to comprehend her reasoning. He smiled, and yawned. "Okay, Aqua." He murmured, closing his eyes.

Aqua sat, unmoving for a moment. She listened to his steady breathing, and wondered if he would fall asleep. It was then she noticed how much dirt and blood covered his face and hands. Had he not worn gloves? She took a deep breath, and stood. Terra's eyes opened, and he objected, grabbing the hem of her dress.

"Don't leave, Aqua…" He murmured, pulling on her dress. It was a signal that he wanted her to sit back down. Slowly, she obliged, and Terra let go to stare at her.

"I can't stay forever, Terra." She whispered. "I've got to go do my job."

He laughed bitterly. "You can skip for a little while."

Aqua paused, unsure of how to answer that. She supposed she could skip for a little while, as long as no one noticed. She was sure Aerith would, and she would probably get worried. Aqua shook her head. Terra came first.

"Okay." She said finally, standing. Terra moved to pull her down again but she swatted his hand away. "Stop doing that, Terra, you're making it fall." She muttered, stepping over his legs.

Terra laughed. "Did you ever think that was the point?" Aqua stopped, and blushed.

"I could still leave, you know." She grumbled, taking a towel from the rack.

"Yeah, I know." He whispered. Aqua glanced back at him. He still leaning on the tub for support.

She began to chew on her lip as she wet the towel. Terra raised an eyebrow.

"What's that for?" He asked as she walked over.

She rolled her eyes, and bent down. "Tilt your head up, okay?"

He blinked, and did so. Aqua gently pressed the towel against the sensitive flesh of his cheek, and lightly began to scrub the grime off of his face. Terra relaxed, and gazed at her as she worked. The heat of his stare made her face redden, and she moved her towel downward towards his chin.

He closed his eyes, and her face cooled. Aqua wondered idly why she had been blushing in the first place.

She frowned, and scrubbed a bit harder at a particularly tough spot of dried blood. She managed the cup his chin as his mouth opened to say, "ow!"

She swallowed, and focused her gaze on his chin. "I'm sorry." She murmured. The spot was gone, but his chin was now red from how hard she scrubbed.

Terra muttered softly, "It's fine."

She focused now on his other cheek, gently wiping away the dirt and blood, and smiling slightly every time a patch of tan skin began to show.

"Aqua, what would I do with out you?"

Aqua looked up, and met his eyes. They weren't saddened, but shining with something else that Aqua couldn't recognize. She looked back down at his cheek, and shrugged.

"Ven asked me the same question when I healed him last week." She murmured, wiping some dirt off his nose.

"What did you say?"

Aqua paused, and caught his eyes again as she moved the towel up to his forehead. "I said he'd probably be dead." She murmured, chewing on her lip once again.

"So would I, actually…" He said thoughtfully. Aqua glared at him, and scrubbed a bit harder than she needed to.

"Ow! It's true! And you know it!" He mumbled, rubbing his forehead.

Aqua pulled his hand away, and continued her work. "I don't like to think about it." She sighed, running the towel down his temple.

Terra seemed confused, and gave her hand an affectionate tap. "Why? You healed me right up, and no one even noticed."

She began to grit her teeth, and she worked on his other temple. "I thought you were going to die." She hissed, pulling the now dirty towel away. "And I didn't know what to do. It's not like I really got trained in the ways of magic. I had no idea how to summon enough power to heal _that_." She whispered.

"But you did," Terra said, patting her shoulder. "That's what matters."

Aqua leaned back against the tub, and looked up at the ceiling. "I was scared…" She murmured.

"You weren't the one dying." Terra snorted.

She swallowed, and closed her eyes at the obviously painful memory.

"_Terra!" Aqua was fourteen, still relatively tiny, and frozen in the doorway. She had seen the trail of blood leading into his room… she had only hoped it wasn't what it seemed. _

_He breathed heavily, holding his wound, trying to keep the blood from flooding out._

_Aqua ran to him, dropping, and sliding to him. The door slammed behind her, and she gasped, trying to figure out what to do. _

"_Oh my…" She looked ready to faint when he uncovered his wound._

"_Aqua…" He gave her a weak smile. "C-can you…" he coughed roughly, sending blood spraying across the wooden floor. "Terra!" Aqua placed her hands on his chest, hoping he'd look at her. He didn't. He just laid __still._

"I should go." Aqua said finally, standing up.

Terra grimaced.

"And you should take a shower." Aqua said, nodding down to him. She caught sight of the scar that ran along his stomach, and she shook her head, hoping to clear it of the awful memory.

"Yeah, I probably should…" He shakily stood up as well. "I wonder why Vanitas didn't come and get me for the mission this morning?" He looked around the bathroom, and shrugged. "Probably saw me and decided to leave me and see if I died."

Aqua scowled. "I hate him." She said quietly.

Terra sighed, and nodded. "I can understand why. I'd hate him too if my life didn't depend on him so often."

She looked over at him, and gave him a small smile. "Get some sleep. I'll bring you something later from the kitchen." She turned, and began to walk away.

"Oh! Aqua, wait!" Aqua rolled her eyes, expecting this. She turned around, wondering what he wanted _now_.

"Wha-" She froze, feeling his strong arms wrap around her shoulders, and pull her into a hug. She blinked, her head resting on his barren chest. "Uh… Terra…?"

He smiled slightly, and kissed her forehead. She blinked once more, and blushed. "You're my best friend, you know that?"

Aqua relaxed a little, and submitted to the hug. "Yeah… I do." She said, her lips tilting upward into a content smile.

* * *

_Terranort. Is. Such. A. BITCH! _

_Anyone get past him? I can't land any solid hits._

_Anyway, WOW. BBS is beautiful. LITTLE RIKU AND SORA! OH MY GOD THEIR VOICES ARE PERFECTION! I MEAN, SORA! RIKU! SORA! AH! Apparently Sora has a dad. XD And a mom, because, in KH1, but yeah._

_Forgive the mistakes. I'm in Canada and it's two AM, and this kind sucks, and so does the next chapter (except for the fact that I kinda love it. XD). PLEASE REVIEW! TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE IN BBS! Review the story as well, I'd rather you talk about that than BBS._

_Next chapter: Gathering of Marks_


	6. Gathering of Marks

**White Knight: Six :Gathering of Marks**

"I'm so sick of snow…" Ven whined, pressing his fingers against Naminé's window.

"It's so pretty though!" She gasped from her bed. She was still sick from going outside without shoes on.

Ven looked at her through his dusty blonde bangs, and smiled. "Yeah. But it's so cold! And it got you sick." He shrugged, and looked back at the window. "I'm not sure if I can forgive it for that."

Naminé looked up, and crawled over her mess of sheets and blankets. "Do you really care about me, Mister Ventus?" She asked, her cheeks rosy compared to the ghostly color she had turned when she had gotten a fever a few days previous.

Ven blinked, and tore his gaze from the small white flecks dotting the sky. "Of course I do." Ven said, frowning. "Why wouldn't I?"

Naminé paused, and leaned back into her sheets. She shook her head, and threw a blanket over it. Ven jumped, and rushed to the side of the bed. "Naminé!" Ven gasped, placing his hand on her shoulder. Her fever had gone down, but she was still on bed rest. She shouldn't be fooling around.

She unveiled her face, and snatched his arm, pulling him forward with a small amount of strength. Gravity did the rest. He rather ungracefully toppled onto the bed. Naminé still had a rather firm grip on his arm, and she tilted her head up. She pushed Ven onto his back, and his eyes widened as she gently sat on his abdomen.

"N-Nami-" She hushed him, placing her hand over his mouth. She cocked her head to the side, and gave Ven a rather empty look. Her glazed over eyes were glued to his face, never straying. She seemed… off.

"Play with me?" Her voice rung softly in the air, like always. But it was different. There was something in her voice, it was almost forced. She dragged her tiny fingers across his cheek, and stared.

Ven shook his head, and pulled her hand from his mouth. "You're sick." He said gently. "We can play games when you're better."

The words seemed to go through one ear and out the other. She bent forward, her lips hovering just above his ear. "Maybe I should play with you?" She whispered, her voice coldly sweet, and poisonous.

Ven swallowed, remembering how she had basically molested him a few weeks previous. What was she saying? "Naminé, I don't think-"

"You don't think." She giggled, pulling her hand away from his, and sliding it along his cheek, down, until she was running her fingers through his hair. "You're my manservant. You do as I tell you." Her lips reached his ear, and kissed it lightly. Ven scooted away, finding himself flushing.

"Er, Naminé…" He said uneasily. "What-"

"Shut up." She hissed, pulling her mouth from his ear. Her eyes were narrowed, darkened somehow. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, eyes becoming darker, and sharper, at every glance.

Ven paused, and closed his mouth. He didn't want to upset her. He could tell she was going to do something. He could only hope it wouldn't hurt him too much.

Naminé pinned his shoulders to the bed, and giggled, fingering his shoulder guard. He heard the buckle snap, and it slid off his arm, and onto the floor. Ven stared after it, unsure if he were to be annoyed, or confused that she had taken off the guard.

Ven opened his mouth to speak, but she'd stuck her finger inside it, and held down his tongue. Ven fought the urge to bite her, as her darkened, sharp eyes shot him a dangerous glare. It was a warning. Open your mouth again, her gaze said. And you'll see how hard it is to talk with your tongue slit.

She removed her finger, and wiped it on his shirt. Ven closed his mouth quickly, and swallowed. What was she doing?

She hummed softly, and ran her fingers along his jaw, down to his chin, and up to his mouth. She tapped his lips lightly, and frowned. "What am I going to do with you…?" She whispered, eyes narrowing again. It seemed like she was bored, almost. Ven bit his tongue, hoping he could keep his mouth shut long enough.

She laughed suddenly, and slid her fingers down his neck, over his collar, and along his chest, until she found the black straps that held the strange insignia that Aqua had given to him. The was a tiny snap, and she was tossing the straps on the floor as well. Ven wanted to yell at her for doing this, but he stayed silent, and watched, almost horrified, as she unzipped his overshirt.

He couldn't stand it.

"Naminé!" He gasped.

She glared at him, and tossed his overshirt onto the floor. "If you don't like it," She said in an empty voice, "Why don't you fight it?"

Because he didn't want to hurt her. And he was afraid of her, of course, but that was besides the point. Ven closed his eyes, listening to the sound of his shirt being unzipped. It also was tossed onto the floor. She moved a little, and Ven opened his eyes, wondering, hoping, she had gotten off him. His eyes widened when he saw the object in her hand.

* * *

She hissed through her teeth, and let her hands hover closer to her temples.

"Is it alright?"

"Peachy." She murmured, concentrating on what she was supposed to be doing.

* * *

Her eyes flashed foggy for a moment, and for a split second, horror was evident in her face. "Ve-" But she cut herself off, and her face was once again blank.

"What shall I draw, Mister Ventus?" She asked in her cold-and-sweet voice. It wasn't Naminé's normal, hushed, yet ringing tone. It was awful to hear come out of her mouth, and Ven closed his eyes. This was going to hurt, he mused. A lot.

She didn't wait for him to answer. She just dug right in, the tips of her scissors running across his exposed flesh, making him hiss. He didn't move, but he could feel the blood begin to drip over his chest.

She made a curve, and a line, and she kept on going. Carving little things into his flesh, giggling every time he made a noise of objection. She stopped, when it seemed she had made something resembling the insignia that had held his straps together. She yawned, and shook her head. Ven let out the breath he had been holding, and wondered if she was finally done.

"Bored now." She whispered, pressing the tip of her scissors to the center of his chest, and Ven realized what she was about to do. The tip slid down, creating a slim line of blood, before Naminé shrieked, and threw herself backwards onto the floor.

Ven was frozen for a moment. He sat up, and immediately felt blood drip down his torso. He took in a large gasp of fresh air, and stared at his tiny friend. She had thrown the scissors across the room, and they were now sticking out of the wall. Ven gaped, and watched as she began to thrash, and clutch her head.

"A-ah!" She screeched, pulling at the ends of her hair. Ven tried to stand, but found his legs too heavy to move.

"Naminé?" Ven asked weakly, his eyes flickering from the girl to the scissors across the room.

She stopped twitched, and thrashing, and she lay on the floor for a minute. Ven sat, unsure on what to do. He couldn't move to check on her, and if he could, he didn't know what to say. So he just stared, and gaped a little.

"Naminé?" He repeated, managing to edge off the bed a little.

She murmured something, and sat up. Her hair curtained her face, and she stared at her hands. She looked up, and Ven found a sudden relief in the fact that she looked so much like Naminé, with her foggy eyes, and a horrified look.

"M-manservant?" She whispered, her voice ringing lightly, making Ven's lips turn upward a little.

Only a little.

Ven managed to nod, and he wasn't too shocked when she stood shakily, and flew to him, flinging her scrawny arms around his torso, burying her face in his neck. Ven could only make out a few words in her rant.

"I hurt you… Don't remember… All dark…"

Ven wanted to say, "It's fine, Naminé, don't worry!" And smile, and make her stop crying.

But he couldn't.

* * *

She screamed. Her back flew into the wall, and she slid to the floor, her heart pounding in her chest, thumping in her ears. Her head seemed to be split in two, one half being mangled, and minced, the other being sliced and diced. She panted, clutching her head in her hands.

The boy looked at her, and rolled his eyes. "What did you do now?" He asked in a quite cynical voice.

She shook her head, and moaned. The boy picked up his helmet off the floor, and shrugged. "The Master has to go make a big stink about my mission, so if you don't mind, try again." He sighed, walking off towards the window.

"She pushed me out." She murmured, her knees sliding in, to her chest.

The boy looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? Now did she?" He looked at her, and smirked. "Ha. Go figure. Guess we found out what makes her tick." He placed his helmet on his head, and fastened it.

"Good work." He nodded to the panting girl as he left the room.

* * *

"I'm sorry." She said for the umpteenth time. She had stopped crying, but her eyes were red, and puffy. Still relatively distant though, which was always good.

"Don't worry about it." Ven murmured, pulling one of Naminé's many identical dresses out of her wardrobe. "Ta da." He grinned, presenting it to her. The one she had been wearing now had red blobs, and imprints in some places, from his wonderful new wounds. She sniffled, and took the dress in her trembling hands.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered.

Ven nodded, and crawled into the wardrobe. Once he was inside, the doors shut, and he was alone to trace his scars. Or would be scars. He wasn't sure if they were deep enough to be scars. Ven began to pull on his shirt, and overshirt, wondering what had possessed Naminé. In a literal sense, he supposed. Though it could've just been her, most of the damage she caused in a fit was self-inflicted. He buckled his shoulder guard, and sighed.

She had came up with him hiding in the wardrobe after she had gotten sick. She told him to give her a dress, and then go in the wardrobe while she put it on. Sometimes he wondered if she'd lock him in there one of these days. He wouldn't put it past her.

Ven ran his fingers over the silver insignia, wondering why things had gotten so confusing. Naminé. She was fun. A friend, definitely. He kept forgetting he was her servant. A servant. Simple, and lowly, easily replaceable. That was who he was. He had to wonder if he was ever, and if he would ever be, something more than this pawn that would and could be discarded at any moment. But did it even matter?

The fact was, he was content. Not happy- it was hard to say you were completely happy with your life in the Dark Region. But, he was satisfied. He could live like this, he reasoned, for a long time, if he were allowed to. With Aqua, Terra, and Naminé by his side, he could be content with murder.

Well, he thought a little uncomfortably, maybe not murder.

He clipped the insignia onto his straps, leaned his head back against the wooden wall of Naminé's wardrobe. You could tell the wardrobe was white, even in the stiff darkness. It just stood out, he supposed.

The doors opened, filling the darkened wardrobe with bright light. Ven winced a little, sliding out from his hiding place. He glanced at Naminé, and found her dress identical to the last, clean and crisp, maybe a little wrinkled from being in the wardrobe for so long.

"I'm sorry." She repeated once more. She looked sincere, her foggy eyes wide with remorse.

Ven managed a tiny smile, and he ruffled her hair gently. "Seriously, Naminé. Don't worry about it. I'm fine. Kinda. So don't worry about it, alright?" He laughed, just to show her how much he meant it, but she didn't relax. In fact, she stiffened, and turned away.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered.

Ven glanced towards the window, and watched snowflakes form slowly in the air, and swirl around in the wind. He looked down, and felt honestly bad for the younger girl. "I know," He murmured.

She reached towards him, her fingers intertwining with his. She brought his hand to her forehead, and she lowered her head into a bow. "I'm so, so sorry." She gasped, fresh tears pooling in her eyes. Ven gulped, and awkwardly patted her shoulder with the hand that wasn't being held by her.

"Don't cry. Crying doesn't help anyo-" Ven was cut off by a loud thump from outside the door. He jumped, and looked around, expecting to see someone come out from obviously nowhere. Naminé let his hand slide from her grasp, and she tilted her head at the door. "Oooh!" She gawked, rushing to the door. Ven quickly followed, knowing how bad an idea it was to let her out by herself.

He opened the door, cracking a smile when she ducked under his arm to get into the hallway first.

The first thing he saw was the black coat. Then the black hair. Then the struggling girl that owned to black coat and black hair. Ven's eyes widened, and he bolted to her side.

"Miss Xion!" Ven yelled, bending down beside her. "Are you alright?"

Naminé stood a few feet behind him, as if trying to keep a good distance between herself and her sister. Xion's sharp gaze flew to Ven, and she shook her head, and waved him off.

"I'm fine. I just fe-" She stopped, and coughed slightly. The cough turned into a series of hacks, which led to a wet, barking cough, in which she covered her mouth quickly. Ven managed to catch a bit of red on the corner of her lips before she cover them.

"You're sick!" Ven exclaimed, grabbing her arm, and attempting to pull her to her feet. "Come on, bed rest for you!" He began to pull her towards her room, and she pushed him away harshly, her lips tightening into a colorless frown.

"I'm not sick." She grumbled, wiping the blood from her lips. "I just have a tendency to cough up blood now and again. It's not uncommon." She leaned back against the wall, trying to look like she wasn't trying to support herself. It wasn't working.

"Look, cut it out. You're sick, and unless if you have some insane death wish, you should be in bed!" Ven folded his arms behind his head, and grinned widely. "So skedaddle!" He ushered her toward her room, making her scowl, and turn away.

"I can't go back to my room." She muttered, beginning to walk once again.

"And why would that be, Miss Xion?" He teased, by her side before she had made it more than a few feet.

"I… can't… not now." She whispered, throwing a worried glance down the hall, and she hobbled on her way towards the stairs.

"Why not now?" Ven stepped in front of her, giving her a classic "tell me now" look.

"The… the Master…" She swallowed, and closed her eyes. "He's holding a gathering."

Ven paled. A gathering? He mentally flashed back to the day of his first whipping, and shivered. Gatherings were basically the Master gathering the whole mansion, and sometimes the whole Dark Region (if he was feeling particularly sadistic). He would lecture, praise, torture, or kill one person, who was at the center of the gathering. It was always just one person. He never questioned why.

Naminé had disappeared into her room the minute she heard the word 'gathering'. Ven took Xion's arm, and gave her a warm smile, hoping that the poor soul that the gathering was for wouldn't get it too bad.

Naminé reappeared with a white hat pulled over her ears, pure white rain boots (they seemed to be unused until this occasion.), white gloves, and a dark coat folded under one arm. She handed the coat to Ven, and a pair of white gloves to Xion. Ven smiled at her, and looked down at Xion. She was still leaning against the wall, looking pale, and out of breath.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ven asked, glancing at the rather quiet Naminé.

She coughed, and nodded. "I just… feel stupid." She muttered, shaking Ven off, and feeling her way towards the stairs.

"You are stupid!" Naminé quipped giddily from behind Ven. Ven shushed her, and gave Xion a looked of concern. He really didn't like being to more serious one, but with Naminé around, he really had to be. Maybe that's why he always looked forward to seeing Aqua, or Terra. They could deal with seriousness much better than him.

Ven pulled his coat on, and took Xion's arm again when they reached the stairs, leading her downwards, Naminé close behind. He pulled the younger girl along, wondering who the gathering was for.

Aqua.

Ven's eyes widened at the thought, but he realized it was the only thing that made sense. Aqua must've been found out by that source of dark magic. The gathering was for her.

Suddenly Ven quickened his pace, much to Xion's dismay. The made it down the steps without injury, and Ven found himself almost dragging the girl towards the courtyard, where the gathering probably was.

Naminé was always a few feet behind him, which was a comfort on some level. If she hadn't tried to kill him earlier, he would've been asking her why she was so far away, but he could only guess it was because of him.

Xion began to object to being helped, but Ven shushed her like he had Naminé, and shoved his way into the courtyard.

It was filled with people already, and Ven spotted the Master, glaring at the masked boy from a week or so previous. Relief washed over him. It wasn't Aqua. Thank God it wasn't Aqua.

He was so relieved, he drowned out what the Master was saying to the boy.

Xion wandered away from him, while Naminé scuttled closer to his side. Ven spotted Aqua through the mob, and went into action trying to get to her. Naminé clung to his shirt as he went, so she wouldn't be left behind.

"Aqua!" Ven gasped, hugging her.

Aqua was stiff, and Ven immediately knew something was wrong. He pulled away to stare at her. She looked frozen, like someone had taken a snapshot of Aqua looking terrified, and made a life sized copy.

"Aqua?" He asked, and he felt Naminé cling to his arm even tighter than before.

"Ventus…" She murmured.

"Hold on, Naminé" Ven said, eyes locked on Aqua. "What's up?"

Aqua swallowed, and her eyes flickered to the Master, who was still lecturing the masked boy. "I… It's… Terra…"

"Ventus…" Naminé whispered, tugging on his sleeve.

"Shh." He waved the younger girl off. Terra? He didn't like the sound of that. He felt something heavy drop into his stomach. What if he had gotten hurt?

"Terra… he… he didn't…"

"Ventus." Naminé spun him around, and pointed at the Master and the masked boy. Ven caught some of the lecture, and froze.

"This can't happen again, Vanitas. Terra was my nephew, and a skilled warrior. Finding someone else will be a challenge, and I honestly am disappointed in you." The Master seemed oddly amused in a way. His lecture didn't have as much bite as it usually did.

"I know, Master." Vanitas nodded. "But there's still a chance that Terra is still alive. Don't write him off so easily." He sounded smug. What was going on? Terra wasn't dead. Obviously this was some misunderstanding- or something of the sort.

"Terra is at the mercy of the Light Region now." Master Xehenort mused. "Aqua!" He barked in his chain smoker-y voice. Aqua jumped out of her catatonic state, and rushed to the center of the gathering circle.

"Y-yes, Master?" She stammered.

"I want you to go find the records for my nephew. When you do so…" His cold amber eyes narrowed. "Mark 'Terra' as dead."

* * *

_Nyaa. *Braces self for angry reviews*_

_This part of the story drags on for about three more chapters. I think, anyway. That's just a guess._

_Anyone think that Namine was so gonna rape Ven in the beginning? Even while I was writing it, I was like: O.o It's not Nami, it's not Nami. It's a bit obvious WHO it is, but I'm not sure if you caught it. It's confusing. OH! And thanks for all the reviews for last chapter! :D I luffs reviews. I'm still on Terranort, but I'm working on it. I know I CAN BEAT HIM! *Growl*_

_Special sorry to the people who don't like blood- really, I'm just a sadist. And I got that chest carving thing from Buffy (pour Spike). _

_Anyone like this chapter? The next one sucks in my oppinion. But Reviews make me write a HELL of a lot faster than usual, so keep 'em coming, and I'll try and put the next one up in a few days._

_Next Chapter: Record Room. In which we will learn more of Vanitas, and foreshadowing will insue. XD_


	7. Record Room

**White Knight: Seven :Record Room**

Ven froze, feeling Naminé's grip on his arm tighten even further. Terra? Dead?

A flood of panic ran through him, and he wondered if he looked as shocked as he felt.

Aqua swallowed, and nodded to the Master, bowing her head in respect. Ven let out a short breath through his teeth, and watched Aqua back slowly away from the Master. She looked pale, as if she were about to be sick. Ven watched her pass him, and felt Naminé's tiny hand slid down his arm, and slip into his own.

Terra wasn't dead, Ven told himself. The Master just didn't want to go rescue him because it would probably spark a war, or something. And a war wasn't too great an idea.

Vanitas stood still for a moment, before turning his shielded head toward Xehanort. "I doubt they'd kill him on the spot, Master." He snorted, walking past the old man. "But maybe you should've thought about who we were dealing with before you sent us on that mission."

The Master's lips quirked upward into something of a smile. "Oh, Vanitas." He chuckled, folding his arms behind his back. "The mission was specifically testing Terra's strength." His dark orange eyes narrowed. "And your own, on some level." Ven noticed Vanitas stiffen. "You are dismissed."

A few people from the crowd decapitated within that last sentence, while other just stood there, staring blankly at the Master. It was no secret that Terra was popular among most of the mansion. So they honestly couldn't comprehend why Terra was being marked as deceased when he could easily be alive.

Ven felt Naminé pull him away from the crowd, and he was thankful towards the psychotic younger girl. He was having trouble keeping his tongue from blurting things that would get him whipped.

Once inside the mansion, Naminé let go of his hand, and scowled. "What a fruitcake!" She growled, marching up the stairs. Ven's shock and sadness disappeared for a moment, and was replaced by a curious bubbling sensation in his stomach. He laughed, watching the blonde ascend the stairway, stomping as she went.

His happiness soon left him, when he realized that Terra could indeed be dead. He shook his head, trying to shove the thought from his mind. He couldn't think like that. It was all positive, because if it wasn't, then what could he believe in? Terra was alive. He had to be.

He began to make his way up the steps, when a light, airy voice called his name. Ven stopped, and turned around.

Aerith, a friend of Aqua's, ran to catch him. She was a pretty, some-what short brunette girl, who was eighteen, and full of sunshine. Usually. On this occasion, her usually bright face was solemn, and her soft features were contorted in pain.

"Ven…" She folded her hands, as if praying. "I'm sorry. The Master can be so cruel sometimes- and this is just awful. I know you're friends with Terra. I just wish there was some way we could get over the wall to find him." She long braid swung gently as she shook her head. "I'm positive he'll come back though." She gave him an encouraging smile. "He doesn't seem like the type to go down easily."

Ven stared at her for a moment, before nodding. "He's not…" He murmured, grabbing hold of the railing so he wouldn't fall.

Aerith's bright green eyes sparkled with sincerity, and she took his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry," she whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "Aqua will think of something. When it comes to you and Terra, she'd battle Satan to make sure you're safe." She grinned, and patted his hand, skipping away.

Ven frowned, and began to walk up the steps again. He wondered why Aerith had come up to him in the first place. He had never really talked to her before- he had seen her around, yes. Usually in the garden, or out and about with a flower or two in her hands. But, really, he had never spoke to the girl too much.

Naminé was waiting for him half way up the staircase. She looked like she had been thinking about things she would rather not, with her head bent low, and the way she was twiddling with her fingers.

"I'm sure he's fine," the blonde smiled, as they made their way back to her room.

Ven had an awful twisting feeling in his stomach.

Wherever he was, he wasn't fine.

* * *

Aqua had been in the Master's record room once before, when she was nine, and some girl had changed her name. Why she had been picked, she supposed it was just by chance then, because she had no clue who the girl was that had changed her name. But this time she knew that the Master was playing with her. Though he didn't pay much attention to his nephew, Aqua recalled a time when she was still fairly new to the mansion that Terra threatened the Master, if he were to ever hurt her. He had gotten beaten, of course, this one hidden from the public eye. The Master knew Terra and Aqua were close, but it was how close he was lacking the knowledge of.

The room was tiny, and filled with files of every person who lived in the Dark Region. Aqua had snuck a peek at her own file when she was nine, but there was nothing interesting in it. The Master had jotted down a few notes about how protective Terra was of her, which was no surprise. Terra had informed her that she was the perfect way to get to him years earlier. It was why when she told him about her Keyblade, he immediately ordered her to keep it hidden. The same with her magic, years previous to the Keyblade. Just keep it hidden.

She searched for Terra's file half-heartedly, hoping to run into Ven's. Aqua knew the Master took out the most important pages from the files, but she wanted to know if it said where he came from. He was only eleven when he showed up. It couldn't hurt to know where he came from.

She spotted Aerith's file, thin, almost empty, and she picked it up. A picture of the older girl was clipped onto the file, with a birth certificate, and other notes under it. She skimmed the second page, noting that Aerith had been born in the Dark Region to a scientist who was now deceased. It did not say from what. Aqua could only guess her father had been put to death for some crime. Her mother was listed as a patient to the scientist, but it said very little about her. It didn't even mention her name. Her mother was also deceased. Aqua set the file down, wondering how Aerith even came to start working in the mansion.

She searched some more, and found the girl whom Aqua had officially changed the name of. It was a thick file, and Aqua found a stark picture of the light pink haired woman clipped to the edge of the file, scowling at the camera. It mentioned how the woman had a record of felonies, but was exempt from them for joining in the army. It mentioned her younger sister, who was Aqua's age, who's record was the opposite of her sister's pristine, with not a mark on it. Aqua put the file down, noting that she was probably a mediocre fighter compared to this woman.

She dug around, and found the woman's sister's file, smiling when she saw the picture. The girl reminded her of Aerith, with her soft hair curling around her face, and the way she smiled gently at the camera. She scanned her file, and immediately closed it, finding that the girl has been missing for a few months.

She continued the search, happening upon her own file, and skimming it. Her name, birth date, hair color, current weight. Her parents names, their origin. She had been born in the Dark Region to parents who were born in the Dark Region, and had no line of Keyblade wielders. Aqua set the file down, after she got to the part about her parents being deceased. She hated thinking about it.

Riku's file was next. It was bland, stripped of any useful information. He was born to the Master and an unnamed woman. He's been Xion's bodyguard since he was ten. There was something scrawled next to that, but Aqua couldn't quite make out the words.

She began to wonder why it was that Xion had a bodyguard, while Naminé had a servant. She found herself confused, and she began to push that thought out of her head, sifting through another file.

Xehanort did not have a file. He didn't need one. He knew everything about himself.

Aqua found a few other files on people in the Dark Region. A young ashen haired boy who was now living with the woman with pink hair, though the details were sketchy, it seemed like she had become his foster mother. Or sister, she supposed, seeing as the woman was barely twenty. There was a young girl who had been adopted by a large man who seemed scary in the picture, but by the Master's notes, he had a soft spot for children. A young boy who was wandering the streets, orphaned, had recently been taken in by a barmaid.

Really, she sighed, picking up a pile of files, Terra's should be easier to find, considering how she had found Aerith and Riku's so easily.

She turned to sift through another pile, when she saw the dark scrawled name on an envelope that had been under the recently moved files. Aqua bent down, and picked up the file labeled 'Naminé'. She opened it, and found it completely empty aside from a small envelope, and a picture. She reached out to take the photo, but when her fingers brushed against the back of it, a jolt ran up her arm as if she had stuck her finger into an electrical socket, and she shrieked, dropping the file. She felt the magic seep into her skin, the darkness of it winding around her wrist, and enclosing itself. It licked her skin like a flame, and she bit her tongue to keep herself from screaming. The darkness slithered up her arm, coiling itself, and began to constrict. She let out a small cry, her eyes watering from the pain, and she stumbled backwards, clutching her burning arm in her other hand.

Her eyes widened, when her back bumped it something hard, yet moving. She spun around, and finally let out the scream she had been holding in when someone snatched her arm, the darkness intensifying. Tears dripped over her eyelashes, obscuring her vision, making the new person's identity unknown. She tried to yank her arm back, but whoever it was, he was stronger. She felt her good hand tingle, a sign that her Keyblade was about to pounce into life on its own will, but she suppressed it, pushing it off.

And then, she felt the darkness lose it's venom, and she relaxed as it was sucked painlessly from her arm. Her vision was still blurred, but she saw that whoever it was, was about her height, maybe a tiny bit shorter. She blinked to clear her vision, and gasped before she could hold it down.

Vanitas glared at her, golden eyes ablaze with a fiery anger. "Why'd you touch that?" He growled, her grip on her arm getting tighter. Aqua cried out, as he squeezed the new burns that ran up her arm.

He scowled, and let go of her aching appendage. "Ha," he snorted, his golden gaze narrowing. "What a wimp."

Aqua gently cradled her arm against her chest, and she felt her breathing steady. She looked up at the younger boy, frowning at the way his eyes didn't quite match his face, and how though his features were naturally soft, he was so cold, and artificial looking.

"Wh-" She swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat, and she managed to stand a little straighter. "What are you doing here?"

He raised and eyebrow, and set his helmet on the stack of files she had moved earlier. "Just coming to give you a heads up." He said with a yawn. "I mean, we both know Terra's way too headstrong to let himself die so easily." He laughed, and looked at her casually. His rapid change of mood strongly reminded Aqua of being around Naminé on a more psychotic day.

Aqua began to chew on her lip. She had never actually seen Vanitas's face before. Actually, she had never had a conversation with the boy in general. He had always been elusive, and quiet, and just… unapproachable. She didn't _want_ to go near him. But now she had no choice but to talk to him. She wondered what she was supposed to say. But it finally struck her that he mentioned Terra.

She dropped her injured arm, and stared at him. "Do you know what happened?" Her voice was filled with such an urgency, he stepped back.

"Terra got a bit too defensive of our target, and he challenged me." Vanitas scoffed, brushing his mop of spiky black hair from his eyes. "He's an idiot. But, I'm not going to let him die." A small, evil smirk spread across his lips. "He's too useful."

Aqua glowered at him. "Terra's not an idiot." She hissed, clenching her fists to keep her Keyblade from surfacing.

Vanitas rolled his eyes, and waved his hand a bit. "Yeah, yeah." He sighed. "Look, I'm just suggesting you talk to Riku about getting Terra back." He began to walk toward the door of the small record room.

Aqua began to cradle her arm again, the strain from clenching her fists proving too much. "Riku?" She repeated, striding over to the younger boy. She stepped in front of him, blocking his way out. "What does Riku have to do with any of this?"

Vanitas scooped his helmet up from the stack of files, and rolled his eyes. "It's sad that no one has figured it out yet. He knows what happened. If you confront him, he'll deny it, but he does. Keep on badgering him, and he'll let loose." He winked, and fastened his helmet. "And you probably don't trust me, but trust this- this could be your only chance."

He turned to her, and she was glad she couldn't see his intense golden eyes. "If there's anyone who can get Terra out of the Light Region alive, it's him. Take it or leave it, it's your best bet at seeing your knight in shining armor again." He brushed past her, exiting the room with a cool uneasy feeling taking his place.

Aqua held her arm gently to her chest, and let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "He's not my knight in shining armor…" She muttered to the air, looking around the record room with a sudden disinterest towards the lives of the Dark Region's citizens.

* * *

It was dark when Riku entered his room. He didn't notice the dark figure on the floor until he almost tripped over it. He bent down, realizing who it was almost immediately from the shock of blue hair.

"Aqua?" He muttered faintly, wondering if she had come to clean his room, and passed out, or something. She jerked awake moments after he uttered her name, and she scurried back, her eyes wide with confusion, as if she had no idea where she was. She didn't, Riku realized. He stood straighter, and she looked up.

"Riku…" She murmured, pressing her hand against his bed. Her eyes widened, and she stood.

"Riku." She said more sharply.

"Uh," He stared at her through his silver bangs. "Yes?"

"Terra." She barked, looking strict, like a scolding school teacher almost. "You're going to find him."

"What?" Riku's eyes widened, and Aqua's strict mask faltered. It reappeared, this time with more authority.

"Terra." She repeated. "I know you can find him. So…" She sighed, and sat down on his bed. "Sorry, I'm a little tired. Um…" She cradled her arm gently, and Riku squinted, trying to make out what she was rubbing with the dim light streaming through the window. Riku saw a string of angry red burns running up her arm, and Riku wondered if the Master had gotten angry with her.

"Terra." Riku said slowly.

She glared at him. "Yes. Terra. I just…" She bit her lower lip, and shook her head. "I…"

"I don't know where Terra is." Riku said simply.

Aqua looked down. "I really hoped you wouldn't say that…" She whispered, standing. Riku raised an eyebrow, and immediately found why he she looked so solemn.

Light blossomed from her hand, and she raised a shining blue and silver Keyblade to his neck. Riku stared at it, too shocked to speak for a second. Aqua had a Keyblade?

His second thought was, _this could get very, very complicated._

He stood there, letting Aqua's blade sit against his neck, and he stared at her eyes. They were not murderous, nor sorry. They were sad. Riku's thoughts strayed to his own friends, and he felt his heart tug in sympathy for the younger girl. He sighed, and took hold of the Keyblade's teeth. Aqua's eyes widened a bit.

"I'll try and find him, okay?" He shook his head, pushing the Key from his neck. "It's convincing the Master that'll be tricky."

Aqua stood, unable to move from the shock. "You agree?" She whispered, banishing her Keyblade. "So quickly?"

Riku smiled a bit. "I've got friends I want to protect too." He moved toward her, and took hold of her shoulder. "I'd do the exact same thing if I were in your shoes."

Aqua was silent, thinking over the information. She felt silly, for threatening him, and ashamed. What possessed her to point her blade at Riku? She could've taken another approach.

Because it was for Terra, she realized. Her friends mattered to her more than anything.

"What are you going to tell the Master?" She asked, remembering a previous sentence.

Riku shrugged, and flopped onto the bed. "Whatever floats his boat. He isn't the type to kill on contact like Xehanort. So Terra's probably alive."

Aqua's spun around towards the bed, and gaped at him. "Wait, when you said the Master…" Her eyes widened. "You meant…" She gasped, and stepped back.

Riku sat up, and frowned at her. "You didn't know?" Her blinked, and straightened. "What _do _you know?"

Aqua swallowed, and blushed. "I… I know that you can save Terra. It's all I need to know."

Riku stared at her. His face broke into a smile, and he laughed. "You are something, you know that?"

She looked down, avoiding eye contact. "Thank you?" She muttered.

Riku stood, and nodded to her. "I'll try my best to get Terra out of there. But the Master is probably a little less than thrilled with him right now, for all he's done to the Light Region Guard, and other citizens."

Aqua began to cradle her aching arm again. "I just want him to be okay, alright?" She whispered, turning away. "I don't care how you do it. Just… please. Do."

* * *

_Yuck. What a crappy filler. So, two more in this little section of the story, then we move on to some cute Teraqua fluff, then I'm going to try and throw in some VenNami for the first time in FOUR CHAPTERS. O.O Ew, yeah, I know. _

_I honestly HATE this chapter, but it had to be done, and there's a lot of foreshadowing. There's a few Final Fantasy cameos, and they'll be coming back, so catch them if you can._

_In other news, I like the next chapter a little better, but the way I wrote Kairi bothers me. _

_REVIEW! O.O Cause Angel hasn't, and we all know one review from her will send me into an update frenzy (She's like the Eraqus to my TAV. XD)._

_Major flashback chapter, NEXT UP! UNORIGINAL NAME: Previously. Stay tuned, people._


	8. Previously

**White Knight: Eight :Previously**

Riku walked around the perimeter of the wall, like he always did, until he found the thicket that his friend had fondly named Riku's Hole. He pushed the thick leaves aside, digging through the branches to get a lock on the magical barrier that sealed the hole in the wall, preventing anyone in the Dark Region from getting under. Once the barrier made contact with his skin, it dispersed, and Riku ducked into the underbrush, disappearing.

He thought about Aqua, and her desperation to get Terra back. He admired her, and he thought about what _he_ would've done if he had been in her shoes.

Much worse than point a Keyblade at someone's neck, he was sure.

Riku was standing between the Dark Region and Light Region. The slim piece of land was only watched by the Light Region, because the Dark Region was so focused on keeping the citizens in. He walked to the large gate, and watched it open for him. He sighed, and thought about the previous day, as he trudged in the grayness of dawn towards the Master's own mansion. He only hoped he wouldn't run into…

He nodded to a guard, and entered the mansion, smiling at the hominess of the old thing. It was so familiar, and he couldn't help but run his hand over the banister, looking around the entrance hall. It was much friendlier than Xehanort's mansion… But then, that was expected from a mansion in the Light Region.

Riku entered a long hallway, and found his way to the door that usually held prisoners.

* * *

**Previously**

Terra followed Vanitas, the usual guilt knotting in his stomach. He couldn't recall their objective, but Vanitas knew it. Which was why he was leading the way.

Terra hated operating in daylight. He felt they would get caught. Especially considering they were heading toward the mansion.

Vanitas stopped, ducking into the cover of a few large trees. Terra followed the suit, and stopped as Vanitas stiffened visibly, and stepped away from the branches. Terra glanced at him, and frowned. It wasn't in him to get scared. So what was it?

Terra stepped forward, and blinked as rays of sun flew into his eyes through the trees. He adjusted to the light, and peered through the branches, almost toppling over himself.

He heard music. That much he could understand. But it was the rest that confused him.

The girl giggled softly, letting a brunette boy spin her. "Oh!" She gasped, as he lead her around the lawn of the mansion. "You're really good at this, Sora!" Terra's stiffened himself, seeing the girl's face as she spun again, red hair swirling around her head.

Naminé. Her face shining with happiness, she let the brunette, Sora, lead her, stepping in time to the music flooding from an unseen source.

No, he reasoned, it couldn't be. Naminé's under Ven's watch all the time, and plus, her hair was blonde…

She stopped the boy, and turned around. "Your turn!" She laughed, grabbing another boy's arm, and yanking him toward the place where she and Sora had been dancing moments earlier. Terra grabbed hold of a tree branch to keep him from falling. He had to be hallucinating. This wasn't _possible_.

"Oooh…" The girl's eyes widened, as she was lead along the grass gracefully. "You're really good too, Riku!"

She had said it. His name. Terra felt like the branch was going to snap in his hand, and he shook his head. It couldn't be. This couldn't be his cousin… it just didn't…

"You doubted that I was?" Riku scoffed, dipping her. "Please. I had to dance with girls at all of my birthday parties."

"I kind of wish I had that privilege _now_." The girl whined, letting him lead her.

"So do I!" Sora piped up. "I could've danced with you a hell of a lot earlier!"

"Shut up, Sora." Riku sighed.

Sora closed his mouth, and laid back into the grass. The girl giggled, and shook her head. "You could've asked me if you wanted to dance with me you know."

Sora raised his head to look at her incredulously. "And have Mister Future Master of the Dark Region tease me until I'm forty? No way."

"Forty?" Riku snickered, spinning the red head. "You think you're going to live until then with your recklessness?"

"Oh, yes." Sora grinned, hopping up.

The music stopped, and so did the dancing. The girl rushed past the tree Terra was hiding behind, and the music started up again.

"More dancing?" Sora asked, sounding confused.

"Yes." The girl nodded, walking away. Terra shifted to see, and his eyes widened a bit. This… was a dream. It had to be a dream. This didn't make any sense at all. It was a dream! It had to be.

The girl bent down, offering her hand. Ven stuttered, and shuffled away from it. Terra noted a blush on his face.

"I… I can't dance…" he muttered, swatting the girl's hand away.

"It's never too late to learn." She laughed, pulling him to his feet. "I mean, I'm still not good at it, and I've been practicing with these lumps for weeks!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING LUMPS?" Sora shrieked, flailing his arms in a strange fashion. Riku bopped him on the head with his fist. Sora stumbled forward, and scowled at the silver haired boy.

Ven swallowed, as the girl began to tell him how to place his hands. "E-eh…" He hesitated, and blushed as Sora burst into a fit of laughter.

"You're hopeless!" Sora howled, leaning against Riku who was chuckling to himself.

Ven flushed, as the girl turned to glare at them. "Shut up, you guys!" She hissed, glowering at them.

Sora fell silent, but Riku kept a small grin on his face. The red head spun to face Ven, and gave him an encouraging smile.

"Don't listen to them." She said, taking his hand. Ven glared at Sora, and placed his hand on her waist.

"Okay, so just step in time with the music without stepping on my feet." The girl said, stepping back. Ven stepped forward, and they continued like this, shakily, moving back and forth.

Terra suddenly felt the wind knocked out of him for a moment, as Vanitas elbowed him roughly in the stomach, pushing his way into the clearing. Terra stumbled back, his eyes widening. He had almost forgot about Vanitas.

Vanitas's Keyblade was summoned in a flash, and he dived at the girl. Ven tackled her before Vanitas's blade struck, and Terra heard the sickening sound of flesh tearing. Ven cried out, surprised.

Terra gaped, too shocked to move for a moment, before he moved forward. All this did was make him freeze again, for Sora had summoned his own silver Keyblade in a flash of light, blocking another swing from Vanitas. His unusually bright blue eyes were narrowed.

"Riku, get Kairi out of here!" Sora shouted, pushing the masked boy back. Vanitas growled, and kicked the brunette square and the chest, sending him skidding back. Terra felt himself regain the feeling in his limbs. He shot out of the trees, diving as Vanitas raised his Keyblade to strike the final blow against Ven, who had a long, bloody gash along his chest. The girl who looked like Naminé, Kairi, was cradling him, her fingers splayed against his bloody chest, light flooding from her palms.

His Keyblade appeared, sliding beneath Vanitas's just in time, the blade a mere inch from striking Ven's chest.

Terra breathed, and raised his head to glare at the younger boy. "What the _hell_are you doing?" He hissed, his grip tightening around his Keyblade. Kairi stared at him, mouth gaping a bit in shock.

Vanitas muttered a swear under his breath, and moved his Kayblade. Terra's eyes widened, and he ducked before the Key sliced off his head.

Kairi pressed her hand harder against Ven's chest, and the light got brighter. Her eyes were flashing from Terra to Vanitas to Ven. She seemed as if she were trying to put on a brave face for the boy, but she failed, and clutched Ven's bloody shirt, a look of terror passing on her face that Terra had grown familiar with.

Kairi shrieked suddenly as Riku picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder. She objected immediately, pounding on his back, the light dispersing, leaving Ven's wound half healed, and still bleeding.

Sora stood up shakily, standing in what Terra assumed was his fighting stance, as Vanitas rounded on him. Vanitas's attacks became stronger, and he shot blasts of pure darkness in volleys at the brunette boy, who dodged so skillfully, Terra wondered where had had learned such movements. He almost looked like Aqua, though with less graceful flips.

Terra edged towards Ven, inspecting the damage. He suddenly didn't care why his friend was in the Light Region. With the way his wound looked, Terra didn't even care that he was directly disobeying orders. Ven was dying. What could he _do_?

His mind flashed to the young red head, and the bright flowing light that had emitted from her hand. Terra's eyes widened in realization. That girl could do magic, like Aqua. She had been healing him, but Riku had interrupted to take her away. Terra swallowed, looking towards the battling duo, Vanitas against Sora. Vanitas was winning.

Sora spun, blocking yet another hard blow, and Terra could tell he was getting tired. Vanitas seemed bent on seeing the boy dead, swinging his blade again and again at Sora's head.

Terra stood, grasping his Keyblade firmly. He'd regret this. He knew he would.

He swung, his Key clanging with Vanitas's and Sora's, both Keyblades getting stuck in the grooves of Earthshaker.

"Vanitas." Terra said in a strong voice. His eyes were narrowed. "Is our mission to kill this boy?" He already knew the answer, and he could almost see Vanitas's eyes narrow behind his mask.

"No." Vanitas spat, pulling his blade free. "But I'm going to make this loser spit blood."

"Leave him out of this if he has nothing to do with it." Terra growled, holding his Keyblade out, blocking Sora.

Vanitas snorted, and got into his fighting pose. "I won't hesitate to attack you. I don't_ care_ about the mission. I can do it later. Right now, it's that bastard I'm going to beat into a pulsing, bloody slab of meat."

"What did I ever do to you?" Sora asked in an almost offended tone.

"You were born!" Vanitas hissed, diving at the brunette. Terra blocked him, shoving him away. The younger boy retaliated, driving his blade into Terra's side. He bit his tongue, feeling the Key tear through his skin.

Terra pulled back, and Vanitas leapt towards Sora, his Keyblade slicing through whatever he could land it on. Sora dodged an attack at his head, and slid back by Ven. He quickly checked the blond's pulse, before jumping out of the way again.

Terra shook his head, and stood ready to attack Vanitas if he tried to harm Sora. Sora managed to dodge more attacks, swinging his blade, landing few hits. Vanitas was everywhere, it seemed, and Sora finally fell back, exhausted.

"Is that it?" Vanitas mocked, point his blade at the brunette's head. "Are you so pathetic that you lose after such a small fight?" Vanitas laughed, and drew back his blade to strike, when Terra struck his back. He heard his Keyblade cut through the thick fibers of his strange suit, exposing some part of his back, and a new gash.

Vanitas spun, blade in hand, and Terra nimbly ducked, striking him again, hard in the chest.

He waved to Sora. "Take him and go!" He shouted, bracing himself for Vanitas's fury.

The boy stared, and glanced at Ven. He looked back at Terra, then looked at Vanitas, and he nodded slowly, crawling to the blond, pulling him onto his back.

Vanitas growled, and attempted to attack them, but Terra's blade was quicker, tearing a gash into his shoulder. "Just leave it!" Terra shouted, eyes narrowing. Vanitas was probably glowering through his mask.

He took his blade, and spun, making Terra jump for cover. What was he doing?

Vanitas struck the ground, and Terra felt the earth shake (quite ironically, Earthshaker clattered to the ground at this point). He toppled from the shaking, and Vanitas struck him on the side of the head, before he knew what was even happening.

His vision blurred, and he felt the familiar pounding in his head that suggested he had gotten a concussion. Vanitas rose his blade to strike his head again, and Terra shakily sat up, realizing he would lose. Dizzy and disoriented, Terra stood little chance against his companion.

The blade bluntly stuck his head, and stars appeared in Terra's line of vision, a sharp pain running up his nose. His head pounded, and he knew he'd be unconscious quickly enough.

He took a tight hold of his Keyblade, and watched for the next raise of Vanitas's blade. But he just lowered it, and turned.

Terra realized suddenly, as the guards came barreling in, and Vanitas fled the scene, Vanitas's real objective has been to come here all along.

Whoever Sora was…

Terra felt awfully sorry for him.

* * *

**Presently**

"Riku!"

The silver haired boy paused at the doorknob, and turned to look at his friend. Kairi began to chew on her lip worriedly, folding her hand over her chest. "Riku…" She looked down solemnly. "I heard they got a prisoner."

Riku let go of the silver knob, and faced her fully. He really did like Kairi. She was friendly, and happy, and really cared about him. He never had anyone care about him like Kairi did.

He sighed, submitting to the fact that lying to her was no use. "Yeah." He nodded, running his hand through his silvery bangs.

Kairi's fists clenched, and she began to push past him. "It's that guy, isn't it? The one who protected me and Roxas." Riku grabbed her arm, and pulled her back.

"Leave it, Kairi." He said.

Her head snapped in his direction. "If you think I'm going to let any form of punishment fall upon the person who saved us from… from a _Red Man_," Riku cringed at this term, "than forget it! If Sora weren't so beaten up, he'd be over here trying to break him out. He's probably sneaking out of his room right now." She yanked at her arm, but Riku's grip was too strong.

Riku shook his head, and pulled her from the door. She struggled, and Riku muttered about difficulty. "Look, I shouldn't even be here right now, Kai." He whispered to her.

She rolled her eyes, and yanked her arm back. "Yeah, well, neither should I, but look who's trying to break the Dark Region prisoner out?" She moved towards the door, and Riku stepped in front of her.

"Xehanort's got the whole Dark Region on the edge," Riku said quietly. "That's my cousin in there, Kairi." He looked up, and noted how her face softened when she remembered he was from the Dark Region.

"Your cousin?" She murmured, her eyebrows furrowing. "But he doesn't seem like a bad guy."

Riku smiled slightly. "He's not." He said gently pushing her away from the door. "He's got a big heart, with much less darkness than mine." He frowned, and turned Kairi away, nudging her down the hall.

"But Xehanort's got him wrapped around his finger with all the guns he has to people's heads." Riku looked down, and shrugged. "One slip up from him, and there'd be a massacre."

Kairi paused, and looked up at Riku. "He does whatever Xehanort tells him?" She murmured.

"Yeah." Riku nudged her a bit more.

Kairi breathed, and looked down. "So… does that mean…"

"He's not as innocent as I wish he was." Riku said quietly.

* * *

_So, I DO like the way this chapter came out. I like the foreshadowing that's barely noticable. However, what I do NOT like is the lack of reviews from last chapter (Not you, Angel, Aqua Storm. Mostly Aqua Storm because you faithfully review every chapter. But Angel because... well, *GLOMP* You're like an Angel-cake! (It said suck instead of like before. So weird. O.o)). So, guess what's gonna happen to Terra? *Smirkles* Oh yes. I have BIG plans for him. And you know how we're kind of wondering if he'll live or die? Well for those of you who thought "She'll never kill him off..." Think again, because next chapter pretty much spells out his fate for the whole story._

_BASICALLY ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO READ BUT DIDN'T REVIEW SCREWED TERRA OVER! BE HAPPY!_

_I have not forgotten the whipping either. Oh, the whipping shall be here. And it shall be good._

_So for all of you who didn't review last chapter, but are reading this, how about a review for Teraqua's sake? DON'T BE HEARTLESS (Oh the KH puns...)!_

_Yeah. Bloody review or else._

_I'm watching you people. -.- _

_These chapters are lacking the yumminess of psycho Nami. Seriously. Not cool. She'll be back in two chapters, I think._

_Next chapter: Interrogations in the Dark_


	9. Interrogations in the Dark

**White Knight: Nine :Interrogations in the Dark**

Riku sent Kairi away, knowing that the Master had probably heard them, and was heading to make sure Terra hadn't escaped. Riku watched her walk quietly down the hall, the first streams of sunlight sailing through the window. Riku yawned a bit, and opened the door. Riku had no idea why the Master didn't lock it. Maybe he just didn't see the point with all the Keyblade wielders around.

Terra was sitting on the floor, dried blood running all along his face, sickly yellow bruises noticeable in places. There was a strong magical barrier surrounding him, and Riku immediately knew who had cast it.

Terra looked up upon his entry, and frowned. "Riku?" He muttered, most likely to himself.

"Yeah." Riku sighed, glancing around the barren room. He had never been in there before, but it was most likely used to hold prisoners like Terra until they were taken to a prison.

"Why are you here?" Terra asked, his swollen closed eye squinting at him in the darkness if the room. It was windowless, and with the grayness of dawn, not much light came in through the door.

Riku scratched the back of his head, and closed the door. He looked at Terra solemnly through the darkness, and leaned against the wall to Terra's right.

"Aqua asked me to come get you." He said quietly, wondering if Terra knew about Aqua's Keyblade. Chances were that he did, but…

Terra perked up, his form hard to make out in the darkness. Riku pulled a lighter from his pocket, and felt his way to a torch on the wall. The torch was modern looking, unlike the medieval wooden stakes Xehanort used.

"Aqua?" He croaked, his good eye widening.

Riku rolled his eyes. "Are you so surprised?" He snorted, "That girl is so dependent on you to keep her going, I don't think she even considered the chance that you might not come back to her one of these days."

Terra stared at him, looking almost ashamed of himself amidst the worry and confusion held in his dark blue eyes. "Is she okay, though?" He asked, scooting as close as he dared to the barrier. "Xehanort didn't do anything to her, did he?"

Riku felt something of a confession coming along, and he decided to press forward with this topic. He frowned, and shook his head. "No. She's fine. At least…" He recalled the angry red burns that ran up the girl's arm the night previous. "Almost."

Terra's jaw clenched, and he made an impatient noise in the back of his throat. "Almost?" He muttered. "What does that mean, almost? Is she hurt?"

Riku paused, and saw the flash of fury in the older boy's eyes, before he opened his mouth to speak.

The door opened before he had a chance to explain the burns, and Riku spun around, bowing quickly as the Master entered the tiny windowless room.

"Master Eraqus." Riku greeted, not surprised at the Master's presence, but rather remarking his timing.

Eraqus's eyes looked over Riku, his lips turning downward at the sight of him, then he looked to Terra, and his face turned emotionless. Riku knew why. Eraqus couldn't show pity to murderers.

"I wasn't expecting the great assassin of the Dark Region to be so young." Eraqus said sharply, his intelligent eyes giving Terra a once over.

Terra looked down, and folded his legs. He didn't answer, though his face held the words he could not speak without criticism. I'm sorry, was what his face told. But it wouldn't help him. Not for what he's done.

Eraqus waved his hand, and the bruises and cuts were wiped from his face, making Terra jump. He ran a hand over his now uninjured eye, and blinked up at Eraqus.

"Magic…" He murmured to himself, looking rather shocked.

"I can see you're unfamiliar with the craft." Eraqus said, looking down at the boy with scolding eyes. Terra shrunk back. "I'll have you know, Magic is a wonderful asset. If you use it correctly. I only healed you because I do not wish to take pity on such worthless scum like yourself."

Terra flinched, and pulled his knees to his chin, resting his lips upon them. He still did not answer.

Eraqus turned on Riku. "Did you fend him off, Riku?" Riku stood straighter at the address. He shook his head, and glanced at his cousin, who looked helplessly like a child in timeout. Riku thought he would cry if he weren't so headstrong.

"Master…" How to explain this situation. Riku knew that it would be difficult, what with the fact that Eraqus knew Terra was from the Dark Region, and assassin no less, but he would have to do it. "Master, he didn't attack Kairi."

Eraqus's jaw clenched, much like how Terra's had moments before. "But he is an assassin." He stated dryly.

Riku paused, and glanced at Terra, who was still staring off hopelessly. "Yes." Riku said quietly. He straightened. "But he did protect Kairi. That much I saw. And according to Sora, he let both him and Roxas go. He may be an assassin, but he's got a good heart." Riku's voice turned quiet. "Better heart than mine," he muttered, glancing at his cousin, who had raised his head at the mention of Kairi.

Eraqus sighed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Riku," he said gently, "I can't change the laws for a good hearted man. You know this."

"You changed them for me." Riku snapped irritably. "And I've got more darkness than he does. Hell, I was born to the darkest man in the Dark _Region_. You can let slide one little-"

Eraqus rose his hand, and Riku cut himself off. Eraqus glared at his pupil, and turned away. "There is a difference between a child and an adult, Riku. The significant one being you hadn't killed anyone. I cannot help the lost. I am not a god, and I can't bring salvation to those who are in need of that kind of saving." Eraqus did not face Riku, but gave him a cold flick of the wrist.

"When you're older you will understand."

Riku was suddenly filled with rage. "When I'm _older_?" Riku asked bitterly. "I'm seventeen, Master. And I understand perfectly well what you're saying. But sometimes…" He breathed, trying to calm himself. "Sometimes you have to play God to get anywhere." He murmured. "And sometimes you need to figure out the person's motive before judging them."

Eraqus spun around, eyes narrowed. "Why are you defending him, Riku?" He whispered, dark eyes penetrating the mask Riku had put on. "What is he? A friend?"

"Cousin." Both Riku and Terra said in unison, making Riku looked sharply at the contained boy. He shrugged, and went back to sulking.

Eraqus's face softened a bit, but only enough to tell Riku he was understanding more. "Ah," Eraqus did not look so appalled. "He's family. That I should've counted on…" Eraqus shook his head. "I can't change the law Rik-"

"Screw the law." Riku muttered.

"Riku." The Master said gently.

"No," Riku looked up. "I'm serious. Screw it. I know you probably hate his guts because he's a murderer, and, yeah, you're right, that's his job, and if my father knew about Way to Dawn, it'd be _my job too._"

Terra looked up, and his eyes widened. "Way to Dawn?" He whispered. "Is that… that sounds like…"

"My Keyblade." Riku clarified, looking at the Master pointedly. "The one I used to attack Kairi. Or did you forget about that, _Master_?" The anger was welling in his chest, and he could feel the darkness in his words. He suppressed it, and clenched his hands into fists.

Eraqus stiffened, and Riku could tell he hated the memory. Or he had repressed it into the deepest corners of his mind.

Riku saw Terra's eyes widen in recognition of the name.

"That was an accident, Riku." Eraqus said quietly. "You had no control over your darkness, and that was my mistake for not keeping a closer eye on it. On you." Eraqus looked up. "But you have never murdered anyone. Never taken your blade to do the devil's work of another. I can't tolerate that."

"So you know he has a Keyblade, and you still resent him?" Riku spat.

Eraqus straightened, and looked straight into Riku's teal eyes. "It cannot be helped." He said steadily. "I can't help every Keybearer who stumbles into the mansion, Riku. Some people cannot be reformed."

"You don't know that!" Riku shouted, his eyes widening at his Master's stubbornness. "You don't know _him_. If I were in his place, Kairi would be dead. Roxas and Sora too, probably. Because I wouldn't have gone against orders, and protected Roxas. I wouldn't have cared if it were my friend I was killing. _Because that's how I was raised,_ Master. If I had never come here, that's who I would have been."

Eraqus did not answer to this, for his face had become emotionless. A sign that he was listening in thought. Riku breathed, and looked at Terra, who was staring at him with wide eyes, amazement evident in them. Could he tell what Riku was to say next?

Riku turned to look back at his Master. Yes, he concluded, he could tell. "He got his Keyblade before all of us, and he didn't tell Xehanort. Until I got mine when I was fourteen. Remember, that's when I found Sora being an idiot? I was going to turn him in, but I didn't because I was afraid that Xehanort might figure it out if I went near him. That's why I followed him over here." Riku breathed. "I… dammit…" He ran his fingers through his silver hair, and glanced at his cousin. Riku looked up.

"He was looking out for me even when I was an evil little bastard." Riku said slowly. "So I can't let you do anything to him, Master Eraqus."

The Master looked close to rolling his eyes, but he paused, and looked over at Terra, who was still staring stupidly at Riku. "I… know where you're coming from, Riku, but I with what he's done… I'm sorry."

Riku stared at his Master, all hope dissipating. When he was struck by a thought. "What if he becomes a spy?"

Terra's eyes widened, and he was out of his stupor, looking quite surprised. The Master looked equally surprised. He looked at his student, frowning.

"If… it were possible to set an agreement with him, yes. I suppose, maybe, he could spy on Xehanort and relay information to me, but the success rate of this kind of job is slim. He'll likely be found out and killed." Eraqus said solemnly.

Terra snorted, making the attention of both student and Master fall upon him. He looked up, and then looked down again. "Sorry. It's just my options are pretty much die now or die later."

Riku stared at his cousin, and sighed. There was no denying it- Terra was right. "What would you choose?" Riku asked quietly.

Eraqus's full attention settled on Terra at this point, and he shifted uncomfortably. "Later." He muttered.

Riku nodded, understanding. Eraqus was quiet, deep in thought.

"May I inquire why?" He asked suddenly, seeming to address Terra as if he were on the same level of humanity as him.

Terra was silent, and Riku almost laughed. If Terra weren't in such a predicament, he _would_. But the fact that Terra's fate was death anyway it was spun… Not so funny.

"I have some things to do back in the Dark Region." Terra said finally. "People I need to make sure are safe before…" He trailed off, and focused his attention towards the lantern, his lips tugging downward into a frown.

Eraqus gave Terra a long, hard look, dark eyes narrowed. He clenched his jaw, and appeared stony. Then he submitted, and sighed.

"Alright."

Riku perked, though Terra looked mildly confused. "Master…?" Riku said hopefully.

"What is your name?" He asked Terra, ignoring Riku.

The brunette looked up, and tilted his head upward. "Terra."

"Earth." Eraqus clarified gently.

"Yeah." Terra said quietly.

Eraqus watched him carefully, and he sighed. "Terra." He nodded, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I will let you go in exchange for any information you can give me on Xehanort, and the Keyblade wielders of the Dark Region. But I will expect you to not kill anyone from this side again, is that clear?" Terra stared at him, freezing at the words Keyblade wielders.

Riku coughed. "He'll do it." He said, glancing worriedly at his cousin.

"He can speak for himself, Riku." Eraqus said, banishing the barrier around Terra.

Terra stared at the floor, wondering what to do. Riku nudged him with his foot, and Terra looked up, and nodded.

Eraqus exhaled, and sat down in front of Terra. Riku followed the suit.

"What has my old friend been up to?" Eraqus asked, looking worried. "Riku knows very little about him. I can't imagine you know much more, but you must know more than an average citizen."

Terra thought back to all the times he was given a mission, how secretive Xehanort kept everything, even the files in the Record Room were tampered with, leaving little information.

"I can't think of anything…" Terra said slowly. "I mean… he keeps everything to himself. I don't know what he's been planning, or why he sends us out on these missions. I don't like to question it."

Eraqus looked gravely at Terra, and sighed. "Then he's the same as always." He nodded. "I understand. But is there anything you can tell me about the other Keyblade Wielders?"

Terra felt a rush of air, and he swallowed. "U-um. There's Vanitas. He… usually does the killing on missions. I don't know much about him, but he's easily distinguishable. He wears a mask, so I don't know what he actually looks like, though."

Eraqus seemed to be making mental notes. "And… he was the one who attacked yesterday?"

"Yes." Terra said.

"And you fought him?"

"More like let him use me for Keyblade practice." Terra snorted. "But yeah, pretty much."

Eraqus nodded. "I see. Any other Keyblade wielders, besides Riku?"

Terra stiffened. What was he supposed to say? Would Aqua be in any danger if he told Master Eraqus?

Riku stared at him, wondering if he himself should tell the Master about Aqua.

"That's a yes." The Master chuckled. His face turned serious. "Tell me. I need to know who's been killing my people."

"She hasn't…" Terra whispered.

Eraqus leaned closer, as did Riku, for Terra was too quiet,

"She hasn't killed anyone." He breathed. "And as long as I can stand and fight, I'll make sure that stays the same. She's no threat to anyone here."

Riku nodded respectively, making Terra look at him. His eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes widened.

The Master looked peeved, but he seemed to understand. "Do you tend to keep the Keyblades secret for everyone?"

"Everyone who deserves their freedom." Terra said standing. "So… am I your official spy, or am I free to go for good?"

The Master stood as well, and Riku reluctantly followed. "I expect some news that Riku can pass a long to me. But you are not my slave. Do as you wish. But heed me, Terra." His eyes narrowed once more. "Kill one more person on these grounds, and there will be nothing to negotiate."

Terra bowed his head, and nodded. "I understand, Master."

The Master stared at the brunette, and sighed, as if succumbing. He gave Terra's shoulder a pat, and nodded. "I am sorry that I didn't have the privilege to meet you when you were younger. Maybe I could have saved you from this disastrous fate."

Terra kept his head bowed, but couldn't help the feeling of belonging that crept into his stomach. "You saved Riku." He said quietly. "That is worth it."

* * *

_ THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS FOR LAST CHAPTER! :D I realized as I was writing the next chapter, it's not really Terra's fate you guys should worry about. O.o _

_Umm... This should clear a few things up. And next chapter will basically make them foggy again. Major time skip going on, that'll make you confused as hell. The next chapter will start a few hours after this one, with a scene that will basically make you all throw rocks at me so I'll explain it._

_Heeey, Wolfie. *Nuzzles* _

_Next chapter: The Lightning Strike_

_... Dude, anyone who can figure out what it's about will get a cookie. ^.^ I was sick today, so I spent most of my time writing. _


	10. The Lightning Strike

**White Knight: Ten :The Lightning Strike**

Terra's eyes widened, and he stepped away from his cousin. They were finally at the Light Region's wall, when Riku had broke the news.

Riku watched him attentively, waiting for the inevitable fight that was to ensue.

"W-what?" Terra gaped, stepping away from the younger boy. "You mean… oh God…" His jaw clenched shut, and he looked up at the mansion that was visible from the center of the town.

Riku nodded, and glanced up at the wall. "I know it's tempting, but you can't tell him."

"Are you _serious_?" Terra hissed, "you… How can you expect me to keep this from him?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "For his sake, you have to. We haven't even told Roxas. And he remembers a hell of a lot more than Ven does."

"I don't understand how you could keep something like this from them…" Terra shook his head, taking another step back. He was horrified. He wouldn't be able to keep this from Ven. It wasn't right.

"I told you." Riku sighed, and looked around. Towns people passed them, looking at them curiously. "It's for their sake. If Ven found out, he'd be over the wall in a heartbeat. Maybe it would be easier if Ven wasn't so watched by Xehanort, but he is, and we can't. He can't know. Neither of them can. _Ever_." Riku's eyes narrowed, landed on the sun, which was at it's peak in the sky. It was noon.

Terra's eyebrows furrowed, and he knew he wouldn't be able to confront Ven without feeling obligated to tell him. But, Riku was correct on many levels. Ven would no doubt run away if he heard, and who _knows_ what Naminé would do if she found out Ven left. Chances are, Ven's departure would spark an unnecessary war between the Light and Dark Regions.

"Let's just go." Terra said darkly, striding past his younger cousin. The silver haired boy's shoulder's slumped, and he followed, nodding to the guards weakly as he passed.

* * *

Terra nudged Riku as they entered the Dark Region illegally. "Skedaddle. You were with Xion the whole day, remember?" Riku looked up, surprised.

He shrugged, and began to trek towards the mansion. "Good luck then." He said, giving his cousin a small smile. "You'll need it."

With that, the silver haired boy left without a word. Terra thought over what he was going to tell the Master, but the only thing he could think of is that he overpowered the guards, and got away. How he got over the wall was another story. He could probably just say he used his Keyblade, but he had to wonder if that would work.

He closed his eyes, and breathed in, hoping his nerves would calm. It was a fruitless effort, though. Nothing could calm him down.

Terra wondered why Riku was still around, when it was obvious Vanitas knew about his other life in the Light Region. What was keeping the secret a secret?

He slipped into the courtyard unnoticed, hoping he wouldn't bump into a certain young blond. He couldn't face him. Not with the information he had.

The whole castle had a depressing sense about it. Terra grimaced, and remembered Riku mentioning his 'death'. Xehanort was such a bastard. Did he really think he wouldn't come back?

Terra pursed his lips. He almost didn't. Maybe the old man was smarter than he looked.

The old man was _obviously_ smarter than he looked.

Terra had to wonder where everyone was. They couldn't _all_ be mourning.

He realized that they were working. All of them. They couldn't be bothered by his death, because they'd be punished for slacking off. Which meant Aqua probably wasn't in her room, and was around here somewhere.

She was the only person he wanted to see. The only person he could see without feeling uncomfortable, scared, or hopeless.

He walked down the dark hallways, feeling like a ghost, roaming the halls. In fact, he was practically that. A ghost.

He trudged along, turning, only to find a shock of blue hair waiting at the end on the hallway. Terra perked. He saw her standing, leaning forward, staring out the hallway's window. Her back was turned. Perfect. Terra crept quietly towards his friend, surprised at how happy he had been to see her.

When he was close enough, he gently slid his hands over her eyes, smirking as she gasped. She struggled almost immediately. He bent forward a little, whispering in her ear. "Guess who?"

She froze, her struggling ceased. She shakily brought her hands up to his, and pulled them from her eyes. He heard her take a sharp breath. "Terra…" she murmured, staring at his hands in disbelief. She spun around, her tiny maid dress flowing around her. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, living, breathing.

She made a strangled noise in the back of her throat, and the smirk fell from Terra's face. "Aqu-"

"Terra!" She nearly shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck. He gaped, quickly catching her before they both fell back. He could hear her teary laughs as she buried her face into his shoulder. A sudden happiness burst through his chest, and he felt it consume all other emotions he might've been holding before this time. He laughed, holding her up, batting the urge to spin her.

Her feet finally touched the ground again, but she didn't let go. Her grip around him seemed to be cast in iron, and she nestled her face into his the crook of his neck, and he felt something warm slide down his collar bone. He wondered if he should shake her off to see what it was, but he then realized they were tears.

Aqua was crying.

Because he was alive.

He was overwhelmed by the feeling that took over next, and he took a step back in surprise. She was muttering his name, laughing every few seconds, and tugging on the collar of his shirt as if it were to disappear at any moment.

The overwhelming feeling spread, and Terra thought he could stay like this forever, with his friend crying tears of joy for him.

Of course, Fate had other plans.

Terra heard it first. The deep clearing of throat. He froze in recognition as Aqua looked up. She pulled away from Terra almost immediately, flinching. She wiped her eyes, and looked down.

Terra turned, seeing what he expected. The Master's decrepit face had a new shine of malice. He gazed between Terra and Aqua, looking amused and sickened.

"It seems you've rejoined us, my boy." He said in what he probably thought was a gentle voice. It sounded like a weasel was dying in his throat, so it wasn't exactly comforting.

"Yeah. Thanks for your faith in me, Uncle." Terra said coolly, taking Aqua's arm, and pulling her behind him.

Xehanort's raspy laugh rang out, making the blue haired girl cringe into the back of his neck. "I only assumed, Terra. I never thought Eraqus would let you live under the crimes you committed." His golden eyes flashed dangerously. "What kind of deal did you strike, may I ask?"

Terra snorted, feeling the warmth of the previous feeling numb his nerves. "Deal? I didn't stick around long enough for that." His grip tightened on Aqua's arm.

Xehanort's whitish silver eyebrows raised. "Oh?" He sneered. "So you escaped on pure luck?"

Terra paused, Aqua's hair tickling his neck. "Basically? Yeah."

Xehanort smiled, but his eyes were narrowed in a sign of distrust. "You must have some luck, boy." He said, throwing one last glance at Aqua, who shrunk back.

"Aqua." He said, his voice menacing. She straightened, all her fear washing from her face.

"Yes, Master?" She asked steadily, peeking behind Terra's head.

The Master just gave her a blank looked, and he left.

He felt Aqua shudder, and he swallowed. He didn't like that reaction any more than she did. In fact, Terra read into it a lot more than Aqua had.

The Master was not impressed.

Terra took a deep breath, and turned to look at Aqua. She had paled considerably, and was staring at the spot the Master had been standing before hand.

"Shit." Terra muttered, glaring at the Master's ever shrinking back.

* * *

Aqua ignored the feeling of being watched. She had to. Because she knew she _was_, and she couldn't do anything about it.

Master Xehanort obviously didn't like how Terra and herself were acting earlier that day. And it could lead to trouble. For both of them.

It was dark, and she was heading in for the night. Aerith was probably waiting patiently in their shared room for her to return, so she could tell her a vibrant story of a hero from the Light Region. Personally, Aqua thought she was just dreaming about something she could never have, but the more Aerith spoke the tales of the hero, she began to wonder if Aerith had ever crossed the walls.

She yawned, thinking about her outburst when she had seen Terra. Usually she was so much more reserved when they were in public together. She never hugged him out in the open. Of course they chatted in the kitchen, but even then she was very tense. She hated talking to him right after a mission, but it was the only time she could see him, besides when she got up early, or stayed up late. And seeing him after the anxiety that he may not come back… it proved too much.

Aqua's mind wandered to Master Xehanort. Whatever had he thought of the scene, she wondered. It wasn't good.

_He's probably suspecting…_ She blushed at the thought, and shooed it away. Hopefully, just hopefully, he wouldn't do anything.

_But his face…_ She chewed on her lower lip, folding her fingers over her heart. _It was as if he were disappointed in us, or something. Like he had expected us to be more dignified in public._

_Or maybe that was his goodbye face._

She froze at the thought. She had recalled seeing it once, before a killing on the square. What did it mean? Goodbye to her? What was going to do? Kill her in front of everyone?

She shivered. She didn't like this new revelation. If the Master wanted her dead, he'd succeed. She took a deep breath, looking down at her dress, and soft flat shoes. They were much more comfortable than her steel armor ones, but if she were to get attacked, they were useless.

If all else failed, she could try her Keyblade. But she didn't stand much of a chance against Master Xehanort.

She felt so vulnerable in the dark hallway, all alone, with no one to come save her if she screamed. Terra was two floors above her. She had no chance.

She looked around the hallway, paranoia creeping up her spine. Who was here? She could sense the presence of another human being, but _where_?

Summon the Keyblade?

No.

Run?

Hell no.

Keep on walking slowly?

Eh.

It was better than standing around and letting herself get killed. She shakily began to move forward, her legs shifting almost mechanically to her commands.

She heard the rustle of air before the slam of boots to the ground. She spun, ready to call forth her blade, but she was too slow. She felt the air fly from her lungs, something struck her chest. She stumbled back, hitting the wall. She gaped, watched a leg come into view. She ducked, trying to recall all the self defense training Terra had given her.

She slid away from her attacker, hearing the initial cocking of a gun. She froze, leaving herself open. She felt a boot slam hard into her chest, and any air that was left exited her lungs. Her ribs ached, and she slid down the wall her back had connected with seconds earlier. Keyblade, she reminded herself. Keyblade!

She felt the familiar tingle, as it was being called into existence, but the cool barrel of the person's gun against her forehead made her dismiss it. Gun was faster than sword, no matter how you looked at it. She had never tried to deflect bullets, and she knew she wouldn't be fast enough.

It seemed it was the end.

Her stomach dropped, and she got a good look at her assailant's face. It was a woman. A woman she _recognized_. From the previous day. She had never thought that peeking into the pink haired woman's file would ever give her a reason to kill her.

Then, she realized, she was trying to kill her not because of the file, but for a different reason.

She was a soldier. And soldiers followed orders.

She stared at the girl's face, noticing that behind the scowl, and harsh eyes, she was very pretty. Her pale pink hair was soft, falling over her shoulder as if it had grown into existence like that. She was wearing a shoulder guard, that made her heart ache to see Ven, or Terra.

Aqua's eyes screwed, cross-eyed, staring at the barrel pointed at her forehead.

"_They're gonna get stuck that way, you know!"_

Her own voice rung in her mind, and she stared blankly at the woman. Her finger was at the trigger. Aqua almost could dare her.

Pull it. Blow my brains out.

And she would, she realized, her eyes widening. She would pull it.

Aqua was going to die.

She squinted her eyes shut, and awaited the blast.

A sudden pressure was placed on her forehead, and the gun scraped against her skin. The woman yelped, and Aqua looked up against her better judgment.

Her eyes widened as she was yanked up, and pushed down the hall. Riku's familiar long, silvery hair danced behind him as he kicked the gun away from the woman.

"I'm really sick of my father's assassins." He said through gritted teeth. The woman was much quicker than Aqua had imagined, and she kicked Riku square in the jaw. Aqua's hand tingled as her Keyblade was called forth, but Riku barked a command at her, making her stumble back.

When had she become the damsel in distress?

She backed away, feeling like a monster to leave Riku fighting the soldier, but her brain had become foggy in confusion, and she stumbled farther and farther away from the fight.

* * *

"_What_?" Terra growled, marching up to the pink haired woman. "You tried to kill Aqua?"

She rolled her eyes, folding her leg so her ankle rested on her knee. "Look, I already explained it to your boyfriend."

"Cousin." Riku corrected, looking at the woman sharply.

"I don't care." She snapped, "I can't go against orders, and I don't really care if I was going to shoot your girlfriend." She glanced around Riku's room, and scoffed slightly. "There's more important things on my mind."

Terra's fists clenched. "Why didn't you just kill her?" He asked Riku angrily.

"Because she's not evil, despite what you may believe." Riku said calmly, forgetting the boyfriend comment. "And I think I can help her."

Terra stared at him. "You want to help her after she almost killed Aqua?"

"Oh, you can talk." She shot at him, standing from Riku's bed. "Aren't you the Dark Region's great assassin? We're one in the same. Except I don't have the privilege of getting over the wall."

Terra fell silent. He shook his head, and glared out Riku's window. "I don't know why he tried to kill her anyway." He muttered.

Riku looked at the woman for an answer, and she rolled her eyes. "He thinks that if he killed her, you'd get the hint that he's still the boss." She shook her bangs out of her eyes, and sighed.

"He doesn't think I know that?" Terra grumbled, folding his arms across his chest.

"Apparently not, so let's just cut to the chase." She stalked over to Riku. "I didn't kill the blue girl. But I don't understand how _you two_," She gestured to both boys, making them glance at each other. "The only living family to the Master, are leading a rebellion."

"Huh?" Terra shot up straight, and looked at Riku in surprise. "Rebellion?"

The woman raised her eyebrows.

"Don't worry about it." Riku said, waving him off. "You don't have to be part of it. I just didn't want you to kill her after you found out about Aqua."

Terra snorted. "I'm already part of it. Remember this morning?" He asked, referring to his new position as spy. Riku's face spread into a sheepish grin.

"Okay," The woman said, "I don't care. Continue about why."

"Because Xehanort is a bastard. Nothing to it." Riku said calmly. "And I don't run the rebellion. I'm just inside ops."

"Inside ops?" Terra repeated distantly.

Riku shushed him. The woman seemed to be in thought, and she sat back down again, crossing her ankle on her knee. "So basically, you feed them information about the Master?"

"Yes."

"And does this ever come back to bite you in the ass?" She asked, looking bored.

"So far, no."

She looked at him, as if she were trying to analyze a lie. She glanced at Terra, who seemed to just be conveniently there, and sighed. "Oh, I'm going to regret this."

"So it's a deal? We get your sister out, and you join the group?"

She glared at him. "The only way I'm joining is if I see her safely cross the wall."

Riku smirked, and Terra jumped at the thought. "No problem."

She seemed to relax a little. "If she gets hurt…" She warned.

"She won't." Riku said, giving her a kind smile. "These people take rescue missions seriously. They'd gladly take a bullet for a sixteen-year-old hostage."

She took a deep breath, and glanced away. "Deal." She muttered.

"Whoopie." Terra said, "Just don't kill anyone."

The woman shot him a look.

Riku chuckled. "Terra, meet Lightning." He said gesturing to the woman, who glared at the brunette. "Lightning, meet the person who might just out stubborn you."

Lightning growled, and rolled her eyes.

* * *

_*Whistles* Reviews, reviews, oh my..._

_And I didn't even threaten Terra that time! O.O_

_So, for all who guessed Lightning... *Cough* You got it right._

_Basically the next chapter is Final Fantasy cameo galore, so be BRAAAVE MY KINGDOM HEARTS FANS! THE RANDOM SIDE STORY DOES HAVE A POINT!_

_There'll be som MAJOR VenNami next chapter, but after that we have another Teraqua section. But this one is CRUCIAL for the story to move forward. Just saying._

_Okay, so I'm going to just THANK ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR THE REVIEWS! I'll try and update again this weekend (long weekened FOR THE FREAKING WIN! Yes. I'll try and update as much as I can (I want to get two chapters up, but I feel like I'm asking for too much. XD)._

_So basically, in like, two chapters, I'll pretty much be handing you stones to throw at me. Even I think that what I'm going to do is unfair, and I'm the sadist._

_How did I do with Lightning's character? *Bites nails* It's my first time writing her._

_Next chapter: Hope to Help_


	11. Hope to Help

**White Knight: Eleven :Hope to Help**

"Rescue mission?" The barmaid repeated, her dark eyes widening. Her adoptive son looked up, as did his dark haired friend. "Really? You think we can pull it off?"

"If anyone can, you guys can." Riku said, giving her an encouraging smile. "I'm sure of it."

"We can pull it off." One of the large men in the corner said with the chuckle. "We're _us_. We can do it."

"You're cocky, aren't you?" Lightning's eyes narrowed. "You should be careful with that. The way things are going, you may get your tongue cut out."

The man looked at her, surprised. He turned to Riku, jerking his thumb in the soldier's direction. "She's gonna join our group?"

"Yeah." Riku said, giving Lightning a respective nod. "As long as we can get her sister out of Xehanort's watch."

The man frowned. "Gaah. Are you kidding me?" He whined. "She such a downer."

Lightning scoffed.

The barmaid hopped off the smooth counter top, and shook her head. "Oh, don't worry about him, Miss Lightning." She gave the soldier a gentle smile. "He's the most trustworthy around here. He's got a bit of a hero complex."

"It's not a complex." The man snapped, walking back to his corner.

"Yo, this ain't gonna be dangerous? Cause I gotta put my affairs in order if I croak. For Marlene's sake." The dark skinned burly man who was standing in the corner alongside the slightly taller, younger man, had lowered his voice, sending a look at the dark haired girl playing with the barmaid's son.

"I'm going to get Cid to check in so he can work his techno magic. If he can hack into the security system, it shouldn't be too dangerous." Riku said, sitting down on a swerving stool at the bar.

The man let out a breath he seemed to be holding, and shot a smile at the children, who truth-be-told were listening, and hanging on every word.

"So this is the rebellion?" Lightning said, looking around the bar. "I expected a little more."

The burly man snorted, the large man scowled, the barmaid smiled, and the children giggled. "This isn't it. We've got people all over. People just don't feel like showing up on time for meetings." The barmaid laughed.

"Like Cid!" Her son piped up, and both children were sent into a frenzy of laughter.

"He'll show up." The burly man boomed. "He can't resist good booze on the house!"

"And Yuffie's probably off being the klepto we all know she is." The large one snorted.

"Vincent's off doing…" The barmaid started. She frowned. "Well, no one really knows what he's doing."

"Rikku's probably off in her shop, making a new gadget." Riku said, thinking about the girl who shared his name.

"Oh! Rikku! We'll need her for the mission as well." The barmaid said, walking around the bar to start cleaning the mugs for the night.

"Eeeh." The large man groaned. "Seriously?"

"Snow." The barmaid said, glaring at the man. "Rikku actually contributes more than an average member. You know that."

Snow sighed. "Sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck.

Riku leaned over, and whispered to the pink haired soldier. "Snow's a bit racist."

"I AM NOT!" Snow bellowed. "It's just… Her eyes freak me out."

"And you can stand Vincent?" The barmaid giggled.

"His pupils aren't _swirled_!" Snow gasped, making a swirl gesture with his fingers. "It's just freaky!"

"Al Bhed?" Lightning murmured, glancing at Riku. The younger boy nodded, and leaned back into his seat.

The door opened, and in walked a small gray eyed girl, sauntering with a giddy smile on her face.

"Uh oh," The burly man grunted. "Klepto mode."

"Oh stop bitchin', Barret!" The girl laughed. "I ain't gonna steal from you guys!"

Lighting's eyebrows raised. Barret shrugged.

The girl's amazingly large, slightly slanted eyes moved towards Lightning, and they seemed to enlarge even more. "Holy Hiphuggers! We've got a stiff!"

Snow burst into laughter, and Barret snorted a bit. The barmaid looked sharply at the girl, who shrunk back, and set her weapon (a very large shuriken) down on one of the tables.

Lightning seemed to be impassive about the comment, and she looked toward Riku again. "Why do you have a child in your group?" She asked, frowning.

The girl made an abrupt objecting noise, and she swore loudly, making the barmaid shush her. "I'm not a kid!" The girl gasped, flailing her arms. "I'm sixteen. SIXTEEN! Why does everyone assume I'm a kid just because I'm short?"

"'Cause you're as flat as a board, sunshine!" A voice drawled from the doorway. A man, around mid-thirties, walked further into the bar, a cigarette dangling in his mouth.

This seemed to make the girl seethe with anger. She went to lunge at the man, but Snow and Barret held her back.

Lightning seemed to be losing her patience. "I don't really see the point in this whole gathering." She admitted to Riku.

Riku snorted. "Yeah, I didn't get it either at first. Then I saw them in action." He nodded to the barmaid, who smiled gratefully.

The younger had girl calmed down, and was now playing with the children, letting them draw tribal markings on her face with washable marker. The man with the cigarette was sitting next to Riku, handing him one. Riku took it, and pulled his lighter from his pocket, igniting the end.

"Chain smokers!" The youngest of the group called.

The door opened once again, and a young girl walked in. She was small, though not as much as the previous wide eyed girl, with dirty blonde hair mopped on the top of her head, decorated with braids, beads, and feathers alike. She was wearing a tight yellow top that bore her midriff, and a green skirt that clung to her hips as if it were fitted to do so.

She paused, looking at Lightning. "Oh!" She gasped. "New person!"

Lightning replied with a scowl.

The girl jumped over the children and the ninja, and ran up to the soldier. "Hiya! I'm Rikku."

Lightning stared at the younger girl, unsure of how to react to the bubbliness. "Lightning." She said curtly.

Rikku grinned, and spun around to face the barmaid. "Tifa! I heard we have a new mission." She tore a knife from her boot, and winked. "Anything good?"

"Put that down, Rikku." Tifa said gently, setting down one of her mugs.

Rikku pouted, and sheathed her knife.

Tifa looked around. "Okay, good. The only other person we need for this is…"

The door opened once again, and in walked a soft faced, green eyed girl, long brown braid swaying as she moved.

"Aerith." Tifa finished.

Lightning raised an eyebrow.

The brunette's smile fell when her eyes rested upon Lightning.

"You're the one who attacked Aqua." She stated lightly.

Both of Lightning's eyebrows raised at this. But she did not comment. She turned to Tifa, and nodded to the cooler behind her. "I think I'll have a drink."

Tifa smiled, and nodded.

"Oh, she drinks!" Cid chortled. "I'll have one too, Boobs."

"Sorry, Cid." Tifa said setting a bottle of beer on the bar. "Shera told me that you're laying off the alcohol."

Cid's face fell, and he looked away, muttering.

"Where's Vince?" The wide eyed girl asked suddenly appearing, decked in red marker.

"He's not needed for the mission, so I don't know if he's coming." Tifa said.

"Okay!" Snow said, walking up to them. He paused at Rikku, and walked around her. The younger girl was oblivious to the action, and she shuffled up to the wide eye girl. "Tonight we're planning the rescue mission of Serah Farron. Any objections?"

The room was silent. The wide eyed girl rose her hand.

"Are you objecting, Yuffie?" Snow asked, looking at her dangerously.

"Don't give me that look, dude, I just want to know how many of us are going." Yuffie said, rolling her eyes.

Snow seemed to relax a little. "That would be me, Tifa, Cid- if he's sober enough-"

"Hey!"

"-Rikku- no, you Rikku, not Riku- and Aerith's on guard."

"Aerith really isn't the guard type." Yuffie said with a grimace. She spun around to face the older girl. "No offence! You've always been the healer, though."

"Not a healer," Aerith corrected. "I don't have any magic. Just remedies."

"Same thing." Yuffie said, waving. "It's the closest thing we've got to magic."

"Yuffie, Barret. You two are gonna be on guard by the wall."

"Yaaay."

* * *

The snow fell in bright clumps, spreading onto the balcony like it always did. The tiny blonde pressed her nose closer to the glass, and stared at the soft flakes in silence. She was sitting on her legs, her knees brushing against each other, her fingers causing fog to cross over her elegant window.

She breathed carefully, as if she were afraid the sight in front of her would disperse if she weren't watching every pure second of it.

Her pale fingers pressed against the glass, deeply trying to imbed themselves into the cool substance.

She took another shaky breath, and she felt something warm drop onto her cheek.

"Manservant?" She whispered breathlessly.

Ven looked up from the chair he was sitting in upside-down, and blinked. Naminé was sitting in front of the window, hands pressed against it like it was the only thing that kept her from floating into the atmosphere.

"Miss Naminé?" The servant asked, flipping himself right side up.

"Manservant." She repeated, though this time it was more of a whimper.

"Naminé." Ven stood and took at step toward the girl, his eyes flickering toward the window.

"Manservant," Naminé said. "I want to go out."

Ven paused. He looked out the window, and nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I'll get your coat, and we can go down to the courtyard and-"

"I want to go _outside_." She said, standing. "Outside the mansion. Please?" She murmured, her white form shaking.

Ven's eyes widened, her tone breaking his heart. How could he say no to that? Seriously?

"O-okay, Naminé." Ven said. "L-let's go out. We can go into the town. Would you like that?"

The girl spun around, her foggy eyes wide with amazement. She let out a high pitched squeak, and she flung her arms around his abdomen, knocking him to the ground. "Thank you, manservant!" She gasped, pecking him on the cheek. Ven flushed, and he laughed.

"Of course, Naminé. It's what I do." He pulled himself and the blonde to their feet, and stood up straight. "Okay. If we're going into the town, you're going to need to be dressed warmly."

She grinned, and nodded. Ven walked to her wardrobe, pulling out a heavy white overcoat, and handing it to her. She hurriedly shoved her arms through the appropriate holes, loosely shrugging it on. She walked toward the wardrobe, picking up her long forgotten thigh high socks, and handed them to Ven. He blinked, and stared down at them.

"Uh…"

"Put them on me." Naminé said, pushing them toward him. Ven's eyes widened, and he took them gingerly in his hands.

"Um, Naminé…" He said staring down at them.

Naminé giggled, and hoped onto her bed. "Come on, manservant! Hurry up!"

Ven looked up at her, and nodded. He rolled a sock, bunching it so the young girl could stick her foot into it. She held it out, humming to herself. Ven slid the sock up her leg, until he could no longer tug it up.

Naminé's humming kicked up again, as Ven did the same process with her other foot. When he was done, he leaned back, and gave her a large grin. "Okay, Naminé."

She gasped, and clapped. "Oh!" She slid off the bed, kneeling on the floor next to him. "Mister Ventus!" She laughed, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Thank you."

Ven laughed as well, pulling her to him. She fell into his lap gracelessly. She erupted into giggles, burying her face in his chest. Ven fell back, landing with the girl laying on his chest.

He had a flashback of a few days previous when Naminé had tried to dissect him with the scissors that were still stuck in her wall, the red sticking out in the pure white room.

Naminé looked up, her nose brushing his. Ven's eyes widened as her pale cheeks became red, and she stared at him with her mouth gaping.

She said nothing. She just stared at him, as if she were seeing him for the first time, her glazed over eyes becoming wide.

Ven did nothing. What could he do? He didn't really want to move, anyway. But…

"Do you still want to go out, Miss Naminé?" Ven breathed, making her snap out of her trance. Her lips were hovering above his, and for a moment, Ven thought she actually _was_ going to kiss him.

But she pulled away, and sat up straight.

"Yes." She said, standing, and walking towards the wardrobe. She pulled out a pair of white rain boots, and slipped the on. "I still want to go."

Ven sat up, feeling his on cheeks heat up as he realized he almost let Naminé kiss him. Really, he told himself, if you're going to get a crush on anyone, does it have to be the crazy girl?

Naminé wandered to his side, bending down. Ven smiled, and leaned forward to button her coat. As he reached the last button, he felt something soft press against his lips. Ven froze, shocked, as he tried to figure out what exactly was happening, but before he could even put together the variables, the answer was out the door.

Ven sat, too shocked to move for a moment.

_Did Naminé… she just…_

_Oh, that was my first kiss._

Ven stood, trying to ignore his flaring cheeks, and ran to the door. He found his coat hung over a lamp, and he quickly ran to find the young blonde.

* * *

"Naminé!" Ven gasped, pushing past people of all ages in the Dark Region's downtown area. "Naminé!" She didn't slow, nor did she speed up. She just laughed with such happiness, Ven found that he didn't want her to stop running, if this was how she felt.

Suddenly, he heard a slam, and Ven pushed himself farther, ignoring the burning of the cold air in his lungs, and the sting of winter on his face, and the distant crunching of snow beneath his feet.

He reached the girl, who was lying flat on her back, dazed eyes staring blissfully at the sky. Her lips were parted, puffs of white air forming with every breath she took. Her chest rose and fell, and her gasping seemed almost natural.

Ven stared at her, and shook his head. "You're very clumsy, Miss Naminé." He muttered, bending down to help her up.

It was the he noticed the other figure on the ground. It was a boy, probably around his or Naminé's age, blinking confusedly around the square. Lying in the snow next to him were parcels of all sizes, and a bouquet of bright pink tulips.

He stared, unsure of what to say to the boy. His ashen hair was gathering snow of a slightly lighter color, and he seemed to snap out of his daze.

He muttered a quick appology, before beginning to gather the parcels. Ven watched him, before slowly reaching for the parcel nearest him, and handing it to the boy.

"I'm sorry." He said gently. The boy looked up, and nodded, taking the parcel.

"It's fine." He said quietly, gathering up the rest of the packages.

Naminé sat up, and leaned against Ven's shoulder. "Oopsies. I think I went a bit too fast."

"Just a little." Ven said, laughing a little. He turned to the boy. "I'm really, really sorry though." He said, picking up the flowers. He dusted some snow off them, and handed them to the boy.

The boy shook his head. "I wasn't really paying attention anyway." He murmured, taking the flowers.

"Are those for a girl?" Naminé quipped, staring at the flowers.

The boy looked down. "My mom." He said in a barely audible voice.

"Oooh." She said, leaning forward. "Is it her birthday?"

The boy looked down, and shook his head. Naminé's eyebrow furrowed, and her lips were tugged into a frown. The boy looked away, and tucked one of the parcels under his shoulder.

A thought struck Ven, but he hoped he was wrong.

"I'm Ventus." Ven said, gently taking a few of the parcels from the boy. "But everyone calls me Ven. And this is Naminé."

"Apparently I'm kooky." Naminé grumbled, her head slipping onto Ven's arm. Ven sighed.

The boy stared at Naminé with a raised eyebrow, and he looked back at Ven. "I'm Hope." He said, as Ven stood up. He stood as well, and Naminé jumped up.

"That's a pretty name!" Naminé gasped. "Everyone must feel good around you, if you're hope!"

Hope's eyes widened, and he glanced at Ven. Ven grinned, and shook his head. "Don't ask. Really. This is her on a normal day."

Ven saw a trace of a smile on Hope face. "She must keep people guessing." Hope said gently.

"Yep!" Ven laughed, leaning back. "But she's fun to be around, even when she goes psycho."

This time Hope smiled. "I have a friend kind of like that. But…" He shifted uncomfortably, and looked up the sky solemnly. "She went away."

Ven's smile fell. "Oh. I'm sorry."

Hope looked at him, and he hurriedly shook his head. "Oh, she's not dead, or anything. Actually, I think she's better off where she is now. It's just… I…"

"Miss her?" Ven offered, setting the parcels back on the pile.

"Yeah…" Hope said slowly.

"Don't worry!" Naminé nearly shouted, throwing her arms around him. "If she's _really _special, you'll always find her. No matter where she is."

Hope made a tiny noise of shock, and stared at the blonde awkwardly. "O-okay."

Ven snickered, and moved forward to peel the girl off of him.

* * *

_The subplot about the rebellion was actually made just so I could put two characters in. They'll be in the next chapter._

_So, I love Hope. Seriously. He's probably my favorite next to Vanille (LOOK! LOOK I SAY! SHE'S IN HERE!). I just hope- *Stops* I totally walked right into that._

_I hope that I did Hope alright. (See, told you I walked right into it.)_

_Actually, that VenNami kiss is basically forgotten by Ven until things calm down._

_I'm going to try and update tomorrow (Looove long weekends.) and I know everyone's gonna be like RAAAAWR because the chances of me updated thirteen the day after twelve is slim._

_I actually don't really care about the rebellion subplot so much anymore, so after next chapter I don't know when it's coming back._

_I think it's just a filler so I can get these chapters six or more pages (this was the longest chapter. XD And the most pointless filler.)._

_Next chapter is a killer._

_Ooh, God. I can feel the hate. Next chapter: Fading Light._

_Mew. Uh oh._


	12. Fading Light

**White Kinght: Twelve :Fading Light**

Snow tossed the guard carelessly to the side as Cid worked on the security system. He was getting restless.

"_Cid_." He groaned, looking around. There didn't seem to be more guards around, but you couldn't be too careful.

"Keep your pants on." Cid grunted, his fingers tapping along the keys. Rikku stood next to him, fiddling with the holographic number pad that she had conjured onto the wall. It seemed they were both hacking at the same time.

"Done." Rikku said, pulling the hologram off the wall. She flipped it, and it compacted into a small green grid.

Cid grumbled, and continued typing. He slammed down on the enter key, and stepped back, satisfied. "Done."

The doors opened, and the group entered cautiously.

The room was completely white, and there were only two cells in it. The prisoners were encased in glass, facing one another. On one side was a small pink haired girl, leaning her head against the glass, while on the other side sat two red haired men, who stared blankly at the party.

The girl looked up, and her eyes widened.

Snow stepped forward. "Serah Farron?"

She nodded dumbly.

Snow smirked. "You're getting out of here."

* * *

Lightning stood impatiently at the wall, looking around every so often. "Dammit." She whispered. "Where are they?"

Riku sighed, sensing her distress. But it was to be expected. "They'll be here." He said, squinting through the semi-darkness.

"What if something happened?"

"It went fine, Lightning." Riku said. He looked up, and noticed a pink blur. He grinned.

"Aerith."

The girl was wearing her typical mission wear- a long pink dress, slit so she could move more freely. She chose this for the slits, not the color. The more she could move the better her chances.

She grinned at Riku, and leaned against her staff. "They're on their way. They just sent me ahead because one of the guys needed something, and Serah wanted to go say goodbye to someone. Hope?" She gave Lightning a questioning look, but the woman stayed silent.

"Okay." Riku said. He glanced at the wall. "You can always go if you want, Aerith."

Aerith paused, and looked down. "I really want to." She murmured. "But people need me here. Without me, they'd all end up dead, or worse. I can't do that to them."

Riku stared at her, and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be!" She shook her head. "It's my gift, I need to use it."

There was a sudden rustle, and Snow came charging in. "Hey, everyone alive?" He asked, looking from Riku to Lightning to Aerith. There was a murmur of yes, and Snow shrugged. "Can't be too sure. Barret and Yuffie?"

"Keeping watch for any wall guards." Lightning said, making Snow look at her blankly.

"Guys!"

They spun around.

Rikku ran towards them, dragging the red heads along with her. "Guys, I think I found my new pets!"

Lightning's eyes narrowed, and she placed her hand on the hilt of her gunblade. Rikku saw this, and shook her head quickly. "They're good! Don't worry."

"Oooh." The one with spiky hair drawled. "She's the sister."

The one with the ponytail smirked. "I can see where Serah gets her looks from."

Lightning perked at the sound of her sister. "Serah?"

"Claire!"

The young pink haired girl pushed through the brothers, making them scoff. She rushed to her sister's side, enveloping her into a hug. "Oh, Claire, I should've listened to you! I'm so sorry!"

Snow caught Riku's eye, and mouthed 'Claire', grinning. Riku chuckled.

Lightning shook her head. "I should've been paying more attention, Serah. It was my fault."

"No-"

"Okay," Snow cut in. "We can play the blame game some other time. But we have to go. Like, now." He gestured to the rising sun, and shrugged.

Serah stared at it, and frowned. "Oooh…"

"Serah," Lightning said. Serah turned and looked back at her. "Serah, listen, I want you to find Vanille. She can help you."

"And us." The spiky haired red head chuckled, slinging his arm over Serah's shoulder.

Lightning looked at him sharply. He shrugged. "We're going over too. We promised her we would, got it memorized?"

"Plus there's nothing for us here. Besides prison." The one with the ponytail winked. "I think we can contribute to whatever helps the rebellion on the other side."

"Ugh." Lightning groaned, waving at them. "Serah, just…"

"Be careful." Serah finished. "I know, Claire. You've been planning this for years." She smiled a little. "You and Fang are more alike than you like to admit.

Lightning shot her a warning look.

Riku stepped forward, taking Serah's arm gently. "I'm going to need you to crouch down, okay?"

Serah nodded, and shot a fleeting look at her sister. Lightning's face had gained her almost signature impassive look.

"We've got a guy on the other side. His name's Zack. He'll take you somewhere safe."

Aerith perked up at the mention on Zack. "He's on the other side?" She asked, looking at the bush.

Riku frowned, and faced the older girl. "You _sure_ you don't want to go?"

Aerith blinked, and looked away. Snow grinned, and elbowed Lightning. "She's got it bad for this guy." He whispered. "Ever since he kind of fell into her church, we've been trying to convince her to cross the wall. But she won't do it."

Lightning shook him off. "It's dawn. You need to go." She said dully.

Serah stared at her, her eyes welling with tears. "Claire…"

Riku nudged her toward the bush. "I opened the barrier, but it's got a time limit. You guys need to go. I'm sorry."

Serah looked at him, and she shot one last look at Lightning, before crouching down, and pushing her way into the underbrush.

Riku looked toward the red haired brothers, and they shrugged. "This is it, then." The spiky haired one said.

"Yeah."

He smirked. "I'm Axel. Got it memorized?"

Riku raised an eyebrow. "It's not that hard to remember."

The one with the ponytail laughed. "Yeah. We know." He pushed his brother- younger brother it seemed, and Axel disappeared into the underbrush. "I'm Reno, by the way." He said, nodding to the members of the rebellion.

"Byyye, pet!" Rikku sang, waving.

Reno snorted, and waved back. He turned, disappearing as well.

The mission was over.

* * *

It had been almost a week since Terra's reappearance. There had been a 'celebration' for his return, and of course people came up to him, hugging him, gushing about how they knew he wasn't dead.

Terra stayed as far away from Aqua and Ventus as possible. They caught on quickly, and kept their distance as well, glancing at him every so often worriedly.

The Master was watching Aqua. The whole time. Whenever Terra looked over at him, his golden gaze was set on her, never straying from her face.

Terra felt honestly scared. The Master was creepy by himself, but adding his new interest with Aqua, Terra was ready to take the cheese knife and shove it through his eye.

He wasn't even being _subtle _about it! He just stared, smirking every so often, making Aqua shifted uncomfortably.

Vanitas was standing in the shadows, observing.

Xion was standing by Riku, leaning on him for support. It seemed she was tired.

Her sister was sitting quietly next to Ventus, staring at Aqua as well. It seemed even she had noticed the Master's interest in her.

Aerith had hugged him, and was now smiling at him brightly. "I'm so glad you came back." She sighed. "Aqua was a mess, trying to figure out how to get you out of there."

Terra felt a cold feeling spread over him, and he recalled Riku's words.

_"Are you so surprised? That girl is so dependent on you to keep her going, I don't think she even considered the chance that you might not come back to her one of these days."_

Aqua _was_ overly dependent on his survival. That wasn't good. No. No it was not.

Because he knew that if Xehanort found out about the deal he had struck with Eraqus, he would be dead before anyone could even say 'gathering'. Aqua couldn't rely on him anymore.

He managed to give the girl a smile. "Well I'm back now."

"Yes," Aerith said, staring past him at Xehanort. "Yes you are."

* * *

The day of the rescue mission was much more eerie for the young blue haired girl. She made her rounds, running into Ven only once, as he mentioned going into town with Naminé to meet someone.

It surprised her greatly that the duo could find a friend in town, but she was happy non-the-less. Ven didn't know about her almost assassination, and both her and Terra agreed that they were to keep it that way. They didn't _mean_ to baby him. But protecting him was all they could do. They didn't want the boy to grow like them, weary with thoughts of death, and war, and destruction. They were solemn to the bone, and it was Ven's sunshine personality that made all the ugly thoughts wash away.

It was selfish in a way. But they wanted to keep their little corner of light safe, and innocent, as long as possible.

Her thoughts wandered to her own innocence. She wondered when she had made that leap from child to adult. No in-between. Just… jump.

She remembered the day she cut her hair. It was the day after Terra found out about her Keyblade, and their sparring had begun. She had taken a pair of scissors, and chopped her long blue her up to her ears, and dismissed the old black string she had used to keep the especially spiky parts in line.

That had been her jump.

She frowned, and fiddled with the broach she had pinned to her chest. The silly thing had always been part of her wardrobe. For as long as she could remember. She either wore it as a necklace, or a broach. Honestly, she couldn't even remember where she got it…

But she had given Terra and Ven almost identical ones, to show how close she felt to them. Though Terra's was gold.

She took a deep breath, and shook the confusing thoughts from her brain. Honestly, she wished she could be a child again. Everything was so much easier then.

Aqua pushed open the door to the Master's bedroom, her mind spinning on thoughts of her childhood with Terra. If only she could just go back, and relive the days of long summer nights of stargazing, and tag, and tree climbing. Of snowball fights, and campfires, and hot chocolate. When she could take the zombie-like Ven out into the woods, and tell him stories.

The door slammed shut behind her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She spun around, surprised.

She felt her blood run cold.

The Master looked at her solemnly, his gloved fingers moving toward the doorknob. Aqua's eyes widened, as she watched them flick the lock up. A rush of panic ran through her, and she stepped back.

"Master?" She gasped, as he stepped toward her. She took another step back, and shot a look behind her. There was a window, the kind with a hatch, and double doors. But even if she managed to open it… the fall…

The Master sighed. "Oh, Aqua…" He said, stepping forward again. Aqua took a series of steps back, her shoulder bumping against the window. "Aqua, Aqua…"

She took a deep breath, and glanced out the window. It was broad daylight. But even so, who would hear her?

Her fingers wound around her broach, and she unclipped it, turning her head to look out the window again.

"Now, now," the Master chuckled. "I really doubt you'll get out that way."

Aqua took a shaky breath, and turned to face him. She wound her hands behind her back, and fumbled with the window hatch. "Master, what…"

The Master looked down. "I'm truly sorry for what I'm about to do, Aqua." He said gravely. Aqua blinked, and watched him raise his right hand. She gasped, and watched as a silver Keyblade materialized in his hands. Her stomach dropped, and her heart began to pump faster than she had ever felt it go. Even with her previous assassination attempt.

"Master Xehanort…" Aqua whispered, her eyes shooting out the window again. She saw a dark figure walking along the grounds- could she?

The Master took another step closer, and she turned her head slowly to look at him. Her eyes widened in horror, as she spotted the grin on his face. She fumbled with the hatch a little more desperately, and felt it lift. She spun around, the window's doors flying open. She took aim at the figure below her, and flung.

* * *

He felt his helmet crack. He spun around, eyes darting for the perpetrator, when he spotted it. The little silver insignia laying in the snow, sparkling. He frowned, and twisted his helmet, placing it under his arm so he could get a better look.

He recognized it. Oh, how he recognized the tiny thing. His eyes widened, and he heard it. The familiar bloodcurdling scream that always came before the deep sound of flesh tearing. He felt something wet spray across his unmasked face, and he looked up. His eyes widened.

The girl was pale, shaking, maybe. Her blue hair was pinned back, signature to her maid attire, but pieces fell into her face non the less. Her eyes were wider than he had ever seen them, and they held surprise, and fear, and shock, and fury, and pain. They landed on his face, and they seemed to gain a new emotion. Defeat.

He could see the red on her lips, though he didn't know what to believe. He watched, as two gloved hands came from behind, and wrapped around her.

He listened, and he heard the faint sound of nails scratching against the wooden pane of the window sill. Her gaunt face was removed from his sight, and he felt a sudden glee rush through him as he felt the light that had been plaguing him for weeks begin to fade from the world.

But then… his face turned into as scowl. Oh, the Master was going to regret this.

He bent down, and picked up the girl's fallen insignia, and turned, knowing exactly who to go to.

* * *

Terra hadn't been on a mission since he got back. He didn't mind, of course, but it was unnerving. What was the Master planning?

The answer seemed to be at the door, for there was an abrupt knocking. Terra stood, walking from his bed to the door, opening it with a frown.

His eyes widened at the sight before him. The boy had spiky black hair, mopped on his head in disarray. His eyes were golden, like burning rocks, staring blankly at him with his helmet under his arm. His face made Terra wonder if he had been on a mission.

His expression was somewhat agitated, his lip twisted into a scowl. But all across his face was the tell tale speckle of blood. Terra raised an eyebrow.

"Who'd you kill?" He asked as calmly as he could.

Vanitas rolled his eyes. "Guess who coughed up blood on me today?" He drawled lazily.

Terra didn't like the way this was going. He looked almost… angry. "Humor me."

He looked at him, and his eyes seemed to tell Terra already. But it didn't stop the name from coming from his lips. "Aqua."

Terra was still, staring at the younger boy, unsure of whether to punch him, or kill him on the spot.

"Master Xehanort stabbed her." He continued, stepping back from the doorway. "I don't know if she's still alive."

Terra stared at him. He felt his legs move forward. "Aqua…"

"Master's room." Vanitas yawned. "Better hurry. Chances are he just left her to bleed to death, but who knows."

Terra growled, and pushed past Vanitas, bolting down the hallway.

The Master's room was a floor below. He jumped over the staircase's banister, running up, and into the hall. He stopped, and stared at the Master's door in shock.

There was a barrier around it.

He felt his heart stop.

His Keyblade couldn't get through barriers.

Aqua was trapped, and dying.

And all Terra could do was stare.

* * *

_... I'm sorry. *Grabs sister to be her meat shield* _

_O-on the brightside, I drew Aqua in this, when she's younger. Anyone interested in seeing it? *Flees*_

_Oh, lordy, I feel bad. Sorry._

_I'll update sometime this week. _

_Next chapter: Drought_

_Anyone get the name? Drought? Because it's a period of time without rain..._

_Okay, expect an update sometime. Maybe Wednesday?_


	13. Drought

**White Knight: Thirteen :Drought**

He took a deep breath. This wasn't happening. Oh, God. No. It couldn't be happening. He placed his hand on the barrier, watching it light up for a moment, before becoming invisible again. No. No, no, no.

He swallowed, and summoned his Keyblade. It wouldn't do much, but he had to try. He raised his key, and struck the barrier, hearing the metal clang. The barrier did not budge, nor did it have a dent or a scratch. It was magical. Magical barriers were tough as hell.

Terra struck down, again, feeling his heart beat faster and faster, images of a cold, lifeless Aqua waiting on the other side. No, he told himself. He'd save her. He had to.

He promised he wouldn't let him hurt her! He clenched his teeth, his blade coming down on the barrier once again. She would get out alive. She had to. She had to.

He growled to himself, forcing his Keyblade down onto the barrier, and pulling it back again.

Nothing.

"Dammit…" Terra hissed, driving his blade against the barrier. "Damn it!"

But it seemed that the barrier was solid, unbreakable and impenetrable. Aqua was locked inside the creepy old man's room, probably bleeding to death.

For a moment, he wondered if Vanitas had just been leading him on about Aqua being inside, but he realized it only made sense that she was in there. Why else would Xehanort put up a barrier? He needed the maids to come in to clean, so he obviously had something to hide.

Terra took a deep breath, and brought down his Keyblade once more, feeling the impact vibrate up his arms.

The barrier disappeared, making Terra stumble forward in shock. Had he broken it?

No that was much too convenient.

He blinked, and shook his head, pointing his Keyblade at the door and listening for the signature click of the door unlocking. He dismissed the Keyblade, and burst into the room.

Standing at the end of the hallway, unnoticed to the warrior, the old Master rolled his eyes. "I best not regret this, Vanitas." He said, turning away. The young boy shrugged, and examined the damage on his helmet from the blue haired girl.

"She has more use to you alive than dead." He said in a bored tone. "But if you still want her dead, please let _me_ finish her off."

The Master looked down at him, and smirked. "Of course, Vanitas. I'm sorry for not consulting you originally. I had the… delusion, that you had grown attached to her."

Vanitas snorted. "Yeah, right."

"But I am glad you told me." The Master chuckled, patting his apprentice, and walking down the stairs. "I now have a new pawn that may be the key to my plan."

Vanitas watched him walk away, and looked down, opening his fist, staring at the strange little insignia disinterestedly. He followed his master, balling his hands into fists once more.

* * *

Terra entered the room, and felt his heart stop.

He hadn't really known what to expect. But this… he felt bile rise to his throat, and he could only wonder if this was how Aqua felt when she had found him two years previous with that awful gut wound.

She laid still, her hair falling over her pallid face, her forehead shining with a layer of sweat. Her lips were parted, letting shaky breaths out every moment or so. Her eyes were dull, losing their life with every passing second.

It was then his eyes traveled downward, and he saw it. He could hear his own breathing rapidly speed up, and he took at step back.

Her stomach was a mess of red, the substance gathering in a pool beneath her. Her slow, rattling breaths echoed in his mind, and he could only gape at the gory sight, hoping to God that when he looked back on this moment, her long, strangled pants wouldn't haunt him to his grave.

He stepped forward, and she managed to move her head in the slightest way, seeing him through the thickness of her bangs. She stared at him, her eyes dully catching his, before they drooped, and closed.

At this, Terra rushed to her side, scooping her head into his lap. "Aqua." He whispered, feeling a flood of panic rush through him. "Aqua!" She did not open her eyes, but her mouth opened a little wider, her breaths becoming quicker.

"Terra…" She whimpered, her eyelids squeezing shut in obvious pain. She drew another shaky breath. "T-Terr…" She couldn't finish.

He stared at her, knowing that there were no doctors in the building. And she needed one, quickly.

He scooped her up, holding her carefully to his chest, realizing that he couldn't lose her. Not after everything he had go through just to protect her. He couldn't let her die, not now, not ever.

He stood up, a new determination running through his veins like adrenaline. He stared down at the broken girl, and felt a new sort of wrath towards his old vile uncle. His teeth clenched and he growled out the man's name in fury. Aqua's eyes opened slightly, her breathing becoming sharp, and her chest rising and falling unevenly.

"Aqua…" He said, his fury fading. "Oh, God…"

She stared at him blankly, the vibrant life that always shone in her eyes seemed to be gone altogether, and he felt almost defeated. He shook his head, and turned, walking out the door.

It was where to go he was still trying to figure out.

He settled on the only person he knew who could possibly help her, and he took a deep breath, hoping he could run like Ven just this once.

* * *

Aerith was quite satisfied with how the mission went. She tugged on her maid garb, pulling her braid out of her dress. They had successfully gotten another person out of the Dark Region. She smiled, and held a butterfly clip between her teeth as she pulled back her bangs. She clipped them, grinning at her reflection, and did a little twirl.

She was ready to work.

The door opened with a crash, and she spun around, ready to reach for her staff at any given moment. She relaxed, seeing who it was.

"Oh, gosh, Terra!" She laughed, pushing the curled pieces of hair she had let loose behind her ears. "Aqua's not he-" She froze, spotting the limp figure in his arms. She pressed her hand to her mouth, muttering a small prayer. "Oh, no…" She whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"Please…" Terra gasped, and Aerith realized he must've been running. "Please, just don't let her die."

Aerith perked. "She's alive?" She quipped hopefully. "Oh, I can do something if she's alive!" She laughed, dropping on her knees, and sliding a box out from under her bed.

Terra cradled the dying girl, who was breathing heavily. Aerith grimaced at the thought that she was still _conscious_. Of course that meant she was still alive, but it also meant the pain was worse.

"Put her on her bed." Aerith commanded, going into serious mode. Terra set the bloody girl down, and he saw her eyes open for a moment, before they squeezed shut again.

"Okay, you have to leave now." Aerith said, shooing him.

"What?" Terra growled. "Why?"

"Because I have to take her dress off, and apparently you're a pervert." Aerith frowned. "I can't have you in here. I'm sorry."

He frowned as she began to push him out the door. When she closed it behind him, he stared at it for a moment, before turning around, and sliding down it. The anxiety was killing him, as was the exhaustion from trying to break down the barrier.

It occurred to him for the first time that the Master might've taken down the barrier. But why would he do that? Had he seen Terra's effort to get in, and pitied him? Terra almost laughed. Definitely not. So what? What was it?

A trap?

Maybe he wanted Terra to watch Aqua die a slow, painful death.

But Aerith was good, Terra reminded himself. Aqua always spoke of her ways with medicine, and there was that one time with Ven. If anyone, Aerith could save her.

Terra groaned, burying his face in his hands. They were stained red from Aqua's wound.

What could he do? He was hopeless when it came to this kind of stuff.

He began to wonder if he should stay and wait for Aerith to give him the news on her condition, or go and tell Ven what happened.

He took a deep breath. Ven needed to know. But Terra couldn't find the strength to leave. Because what if Aqua did die? What would he do then? What? Really?

He shook his head. She wasn't going to die. She wasn't.

"Terra?"

Terra looked up, his hands sliding down his face. His cousin walked up to him, and frowned. "Terra, did you go on a mission?" He asked cautiously, staring at his bloody hands, and the condition of Terra's shirt.

Terra felt some of Aqua's blood smudge against his face but he couldn't get himself to care. He shook his head, and stared blankly at his shoes.

"What did you do, then?" It was a female voice. Terra looked up again, and noticed that Riku wasn't alone. He was being accompanied by a small black haired girl, who's face mirrored that of Naminé's. And Kairi's.

Terra looked back down at his shoes, and he felt his teeth clench with anger. "Xehanort…" Terra whispered.

Riku blinked, and stepped closer, as did Xion.

"Xehanort…" Terra repeated, burying his face in his hands again. "Oh, God…" He muttered.

"Terra?" Riku bent down, his eyebrows furrowed. "What did he do?"

Terra looked up, and began to glare at a lamp on the opposite wall. "Xehanort stabbed Aqua…" He said quietly, feeling his expression turn stony.

Riku's eyes widened, and Xion managed a tiny gasp.

"He… _What_?" Riku gaped. "Shit. Is she okay?"

Terra stared at him. He gestured to his shirt, and snorted. "Does this look like she's okay?" He asked bitterly.

Riku shook his head, and stood up. "I'll kill him." He muttered. "I will, really, if you want me to, Terra." He looked at his cousin, and Terra shook his head.

"You aren't killing anyone, so back up, and remember that you're the good guy."

"Good guys kill bad guys." Riku snorted, rolling his eyes.

"But you're not going up against Xehanort." Terra sighed, listening for any signs of life in the room behind him. "He'll kill you."

Riku stared at him. "You're going to let the guy who killed Aqua get away with it?" He scoffed. "That's not you."

Terra looked at him sharply. "She not dead. Not yet, anyway…" He added under his breath. "But if she dies, there's going to be hell to pay."

Xion stared at him, and frowned. "I'm really sorry about your friend." She said quietly, her sharp eyes fixed on his face. "But what makes you think you can kill Xehanort? So many have tried."

Terra didn't answer. He looked up at Riku, and he sighed. "Can you deliver a message for me?"

* * *

"Has she always been like this?" Hope asked, staring blankly at the slumbering Naminé.

Ven hummed in response. "As far as I know of. I've only been with her since she was ten." He shrugged, and laid a blanket over the sleeping girl.

Hope watched him, and sat down. "I just think it's weird that she'd go crazy at such a young age." He said, frowning. "Doesn't it seem odd to you?"

Ven paused. He had never really thought about it. "Yeah… I guess." He scratched his head. "Wow. I just kind of thought she was born like this, or something. Do you think it's something else?"

Hope shook his head. "I don't know what it is. But it's not normal. I think you should look into her past and make sure nothing really traumatic happened to her as a child."

"Ha, why are you suddenly the voice of wisdom?" Ven asked, grinning. "You're not exactly a prophet."

Hope blushed. "Hey, I was just giving you advice, okay?" He grumbled.

Ven laughed. "Thanks." He yawned, folding his arms behind his neck. "I don't know where exactly I'll get though. I mean, Naminé's past is ultra secret. No one's supposed to go snooping."

Hope looked at him strangely. "Wouldn't that just give you a better reason to go looking?"

Ven snorted. "Would you go looking for something that may cause the loss of your head, just to find out why your friend is crazy?"

Hope looked down.

A knock at the door sent both boys jumping. Ven shot Hope a look. "Hey, does Lightning knock?" He whispered.

Hope shook his head, staring stiffly at the door. Ven took a deep breath. "Maybe it's a neighbor?" He offered.

"Or maybe someone is here for Lightning."

Ven grimaced. "Don't say that."

Hope got up, snatching his boomerang from the table, and shrugged. "Just in case." He said, walking towards the door.

Ven followed reluctantly, peeking out as Hope opened the door. His eyes widened. "Xion!" He yelped. "And Riku!"

Xion managed a shy smile, while Riku just grimaced. "Ven," He said, glancing at Hope who frowned at them. "I've got to tell you something."

"Really?" Ven asked, as Hope stepped away. "What is it?"

Xion's smile fell, and Riku sighed. He looked around him, snow blowing around, whipping into his face. "It's… hard to say out here…" He muttered.

"You can come in if you want." Hope said. Both boys stepped away, letting the duo creep into the house.

Ven closed the door behind them, and grinned. "Okay, what's up?"

Xion was staring at her sister, frowning. Riku shifted uncomfortably, and he sighed. "Um, Terra sent me here." He said finally.

"Terra?" Ven repeated. "Really? I haven't seen him in forever."

Riku grimaced, thinking about what he had told his older cousin. "Yeah…"

"So what's up?" Ven asked, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head. "I mean, I don't think this is really a casual visit."

"It's not." Xion murmured. Ven looked at her.

"Ven…" Riku said slowly. "I… don't really know how to tell you this."

Hope slunk back into his seat, staring blankly at his boomerang.

Ven's face fell. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Riku sighed, and nodded to the couch. "You may want to sit down."

"No." Ven said, staring at him. "Tell me."

Xion sighed, and looked at her bodyguard. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "Master Xehanort stabbed Aqua."

Ven's eyes widened, and he stared at them. Hope's gaze snapped to them as well, though his face showed very little traces of emotion.

"W-what?" Ven stammered. "Aqua… you're… you're joking, right? Aqua… she can't be…"

"She's not dead." Riku said. "Not yet anyway. Terra wanted me to come tell you. He didn't want to leave her, I guess."

"Will she be okay?" Ven asked, feeling his stomach drop. What if Aqua actually died? What would he do without her?

Riku looked down. "We don't really know."

Ven stared at them, his eyes flashing with confusion, and horror. "But… why would the Master stab her?" He whispered, shaking his head. "It makes no sense!"

"He thought she was causing too many complications." Riku said sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Damn him."

All eyes in the room (save Naminé's) turned towards Hope, who was glaring at his boomerang. "Hope?" Ven asked, taking a step towards him.

"He just has to drag innocent people into things that have nothing to do with them." He hissed. His grip on his weapon tightened. "He has to pay for making everyone's lives hell."

They all stared at him. And then it clicked for Riku. "Wait… Hey, are you-"

The door opened, and they all turned to see a rather surprised Lightning standing in the entrance.

"Riku?" She muttered warily, placing a hand on her gunblade. "What are you doing in my home?"

Riku stared at her blankly. "It's like God is a sadist or something…" He muttered to himself. He spun around, and looked at the ashen haired boy. "You're _Hope_." He stated. Hope blinked and nodded.

"Damn." Riku sighed. "Way to pick a friend, Ven."

"Hey, what's wrong with Hope?" Ven asked, momentarily forgetting Aqua's condition.

"Nothing."

Lightning stared at them, and made her way to the table. "I don't know what's going on," she said, gently taking the boomerang from Hope. "But I don't like it."

"Xehanort tried to kill Ven's friend." Hope muttered.

Lightning glanced at Ven. "Really?" She murmured.

"Yep." Riku said, a humorless smirk on his face. "Aqua."

Lightning's head snapped in his direction, and her eyes narrowed.

Ven walked over to Naminé, shaking her awake. She moaned, swatting his hand away. "Naminé, we have to go." Ven whispered. She looked at him, and scowled.

"Do you want me to castrate you, manservant?" She growled. Her eyes were sleepy, but that didn't stop them from narrowing dangerously.

"H-huh?" He yelped, jumping away from her.

She sat up, and glared. "Why are you disturbing my sleep?" She hissed.

"Aqua got stabbed, Naminé." Riku said.

Naminé's eyes snapped towards him, and her they widened.

"What?" She whispered. "But…"

"We have to go." Ven swallowed. "Come on, Naminé." He murmured, taking her hand. She got up hesitantly.

Lightning and Hope watched them leave in silence, and Hope went back to sulking.

"I hope she's alright." He sighed, laying down.

Lightning didn't reply.

* * *

_Humm. So, it's a bit unclear if Aqua's going to be alright. Sadly, you won't find out until chapter fifteen. Somehow, the next chapter ended up being Ven centric. And I'm quite proud of it. I finally figured out his past._

_We also find out a bit more about Vanille and Fang next chapter, so stay tuned._

_Excuse mistakes, I'm tired, and my contacts are bothering me. Ya ya ya, this chapter is called Drought because Aqua got stabbed, she's water, we don't know if she's gonna be alright... the drought isn't really mentioned though. Unlike the next chapter where the name is mentioned a couple times._

_Next chapter: Endless Cold_

_SEVENTY FIVE REVIEWS? O.O You guys know that that's the most I've ever gotten for a story, right? Thanks you guys! :D_


	14. Endless Cold

**White Knight: Fourteen :Endless Cold**

Ven cursed his luck. He stumbled forward, and grabbed Naminé's arm before she fell face first into the calf deep snow. Ven knew her feet were probably numb through her rain boots and thigh highs, for they were not made to keep the heat in, just the wet out. Not that it helped much when the snow was almost up to the rim of the boots. Naminé's knees buckled and she fell anyway, her knees sinking into the fresh snow.

He pulled her to her feet, and she shivered, her usually pale cheeks flushed, and wet. Her teeth chattered, and Ven wished he had brought a hat for her to wear. The way her soft yellow hair was whipping wildly into her face, and back, and into her face again, it was no wonder she had fallen.

The young girl might've made a small whimpering noise before flinging her sticklike arms around his torso, but the great howling that bit his numb ears drowned out any sound that could be made. It was dark, twilight, maybe, the clouds invisible with the ever flying snow, slapping the faces of the teenagers, and freezing any exposed skin.

Ven pulled the girl closer, and the sloshed their way through the snow, keeping each other from slipping into their death.

He spotted a dark blot ahead of him, that could only be Xion, but Riku had blended in completely with the snow, and was nowhere to be found. He could only hope that they were with each other.

Ven had only been out in a blizzard once before, and even then he had been right by the mansion, and with Aqua to help him. He couldn't remember it all that well, because he had only just came to the mansion, but he could recall the icy dread he felt as Aqua lead him up the slippery path, and the fear that crept up his spine with every vicious slap of ice and wind.

He had similar feelings now, but it wasn't as bad as back then, when he had been paralyzed with fear. He shifted, and Naminé let go of him, tumbling forward, her boots sinking, and rising, then sinking again.

He heard a dull noise over the howling, but he ignored it. He pulling his feet, which sunk deep into the snow with every exhausting step. Thoughts of Aqua plagued his mind, and he began to wonder what had brought this about. Had Xehanort found out about Aqua's magic, and decided to silence it? But then, he would've chosen something much more flashy. Burned at the stake.

So why did he just stab her? And was she even still alive?

He stopped, and squinted. A few feet in front of him, Riku and Xion had stopped, it seemed. Xion's blob began to move again, while Riku's dull gray one disappeared. Ven shivered, and shoved his hands into his pockets. It was as if it were an endless cold. Endless… endless…

_Ven gave an almighty cry, tears of anger appearing in the corner of his eyes. He ran at the man, blade held reversed in his hand. He swung…_

_And he missed. He felt a stiff pain at the back of his neck, and an endless cold spread a cross him, numbing his senses, and freezing his mind. Endless… endless… endless…_

Ven fell forward, his face burying itself into the stinging ice, he felt the familiar fear, and emptiness, and cold, and tears frozen on his cheeks.

He couldn't see, or hear anything. The only sense that seemed to be working was touch, and all he could feel was the severe sting of the ice around him.

The feeling washed away quickly, as he felt a pair of gloved hands flip him over. He blinked the snow from his eyes, and stared at the younger girl, who's face was obscured by the blizzard. She was trembling, her hot breath warming his frozen face as she gasped to get air the didn't cut like a knife.

Ven managed to smile a little, the tug of his muscles working to move his frozen mouth. He sat up, and he squinted, watching her move her lips, but barely a sound overcame the blizzard.

No. There was a sound. Ven blinked, trying to register the howling and the loud crack that came with it. He saw it, coming down fast, about to squash him and his young friend like bugs.

But Ven was faster. His eyes widened, and he wrapped his arms around Naminé, yanked her as far back as he possibly could. They both fell flat on their backs, and Naminé's almost silent cry of pain rang into the howling wind.

Ven was too stunned to move at first, but he managed to shift, ignoring the stabbing fear he felt, and he groaned, sitting up. He first noticed the long, thick tree trunk that had nearly squished him. The second thing was his dear friend's leg pinned under it.

She moaned a little, and it seemed as if she might've been knocked out, but Ven wasn't sure. He tumbled through the snow, reaching her side, gasping.

"Naminé!" He exclaimed, trying to get his numb red hands under the frozen bark, his fingers brushing against the powdery shards of doom. "Riku! Help me get this off her!"

He didn't know if Riku had heard him, but he had definitely heard the tree fall. He and Xion were trekking through the snow, though Ven could only see Xion. Riku appeared into view, even if he was more of a blur than anything, and Ven summoned his strength to begin picking up the heavy piece of lumber.

Riku began to help, taking the other side. With the extra strength, they were able to get Naminé's leg out from under it. She was shaking now more than ever, but she didn't move.

"Naminé?" Ven whispered, scooping her up. She murmured something that he couldn't catch over the howl.

Ven looked up at Riku, who was shaking as well. Ven knew they had no other choice. "Let's go back to Hope's house." He called, turning. "It's closer than the mansion anyway, and maybe they have something to help Naminé!"

Riku had paused, and shouted an agreement.

The trek back was just as exhausting as the last. Except now Ven had extra baggage, and he was being plagued by the thoughts of endless cold.

_Breath… breath… can't breath… too cold…_

_His eyes moved beneath the ice, and he watched, a mirror of him flashing in front of his face._

Ven took a deep breath as his small friend awoke. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he began to carry her on his back, her cheek resting between his shoulder blades.

_He felt his ice incased form being dragged. He couldn't recall his name. He couldn't remember any real feeling, except the numbness. Breathe, he told himself, breathe._

He tumbled forward, gasping in the sharp air. Xion had begun to stick close to him, her head collapsing on his shoulder every now any then. Riku had gone ahead, but not far enough for his gray blur to disappear completely.

Ven felt hopeless, his mind drawing blanks every couple minutes, and he had to scramble to recall his name. He was beginning to make a mental list when everything became white.

Ventus. That was his name. That has _always_ been his name. That's who he is.

Naminé. The girl on his back.

Xion. The girl next to him.

Riku. The strange grayish blur that was barely visible in the near darkness and flurry of snow that flew into his eyes, obscuring his already poor vision.

Now for the people that weren't with him.

Aqua.

_He opened his eyes wearily, noting that he had eyelids to open. They were heavy, and once they opened he regretted it. The light was much too bright for his eyes, which had been so accustomed to darkness. He squeezed them shut, and he felt something warm on his forehead. _Warmth_. The feeling was so wonderful, he snapped his eyes open, ignoring the painful light, and stared at the thing that was causing the feeling that he had been desperate to feel for the longest, longest time._

_She was very close. Her blue eyes were shining with unshed tears, the ends of her long blue hair tickling his cheeks. Her mouth opened, and something came from her light pink lips, but all Ven could hear was babble. Muted babble. He blinked, and stared, hoping that he wasn't dreaming._

_Even if he was dreaming though, he realized, dreams were better than reality._

Terra.

_The girl stared, and her mouth moved faster, tears rolling over her cheeks. He felt one drop onto his own cheek, and it stung. His eyes widened as a long arm extended, snaking itself around the girl's shoulders, and pulling her away. Ven opened his mouth, letting a small noise escape, he reached, hoping to catching hold of the long blue hair that had been tickling his cheeks._

_It was a boy, older than him, definitely. He was tall, muscular, but not burly, with deep cobalt eyes that were full of pity. The girl was clutching his shirt, staring at him with a gaping mouth._

Aerith.

_A small girl, not as small as the blue haired one, but small enough to make him wonder if he had dropped into midget land (but then there was the tall muscular one that didn't fit. Maybe he was a weird crossbreed?), had leaned over him, big green eyes wide with fright. Her face was softer looking than the tearful girl, and her hair was softer too, as stray ringlets fell into his face as she bent forward. She pressed something circular to his lips, and he felt his jaw open, a warm, warm liquid sliding down his throat._

Ro- Ro- Ro…

He stumbled forward, almost pulling him and the girl on his back down into the snow. But Xion, bless the girl, stepped in front of him, and pushed him upright before he could so much as blink.

Ven wondered if they were going in the right direction. Really, who knew. He squinting, begging for some kind of light at the end of blizzard and darkness.

But he just saw an endless pit of ice and dispair.

Ven thought he knew who he was. But now he just wished he could remember his name, and make it stick.

He blanked out, and the blizzard took over, spinning him, his mind racing to breathe, breathe, can't breathe, breathe. And he gasped air that felt like knives, and tried to remember what was going on, and he struggled to remember what his name was.

Ventus.

He grabbed on to the little remains of sanity he had, and he started forward, feeling the girl on his back begin to slip.

And suddenly, he ran forward.

Light! Oh, the pure beauty of light!

He tripped up the steps, grabbing onto the railing, and he held Naminé's good leg with his free hand. He listened as Riku banged on the door, and when it opened the trio slipped and slid into the house.

The warmth snapped him out of his daze, and he took a deep breath of non-icy air, feeling it fill his lungs. He nearly dropped Naminé, and he smiled, relieved.

Hope was staring at them, not looking surprised, yet looking surprised. His mouth was open, but his eyes were calm.

Lightning raised an eyebrow, and Ven set Naminé down onto the couch, and she shuddered, and moaned. He knew that her leg was broken, and it probably really hurt.

Ven collapsed not long after, falling to his knees in front of the couch. Riku was leaning against the wall, speaking to Lightning, while Xion was already asleep in the chair.

Lightning walked over to Naminé, leaning over Ven, and tugging the slippery rain boots off the young girl, and tossed them onto the floor. She tugged the wet thigh highs off of her legs, and frowned, seeing Naminé's heavily swollen leg.

"It's a basic break, though we need to be careful about moving her. Her bone may break the skin, and pushing it back in is a more painful process than I'm sure she can handle." Lightning said thoughtfully standing up straight. Hope had disappeared from the room, but no one noticed.

Lightning left the room, and Ven leaned his head on the couch, watching Hope enter, red hands cupping the most disgusting thing Ven had ever seen.

Snow.

He flinched, as Hope walked over, and set the nasty white stuff on Naminé's swollen leg.

She sighed a little, even though she had spent the last hour and a half in a blizzard.

Hope's red hands clenched into fists, as he tried to get the feeling back in them. "I don't think it will help that much, but the swelling should go down, and it should ease the pain a little bit." He said quietly. Ven suddenly didn't loathe the white powder anymore, and he was incredibly impressed with his ashen haired friend.

Lightning appeared with a roll of bandages, and she took one look at the snow, and Hope's red hands, and gave a tiny, almost unnoticeable smile.

"Very quick thinking, Hope."

Hope looked down, and nodded, scooping the melting snow off of the girl's leg, and walking out of the room, probably to go toss it out a window.

Lightning elevated Naminé's leg, and she wiped the stray snow away, expertly wrapping it tightly in gauze. Naminé whimpered, and twitched, but Lightning proceeded, and finally pinned the tightly wrapped bandage in place.

"You were smart to come back here." Lightning said, placing a pillow under Naminé's neck. "You wouldn't of gotten to the mansion in this weather."

"We have the worst luck…" Ven moaned into the couch. "Of all the times to get a blizzard!"

Riku made a noise of agreement, while the sisters slept. Hope walked into the room, blankets folded under his arms, and he tossed one to Riku, who set it over Xion.

"I'm sorry you can't get to your friend." Hope sighed, carefully placing a blanket over Naminé.

Ven nodded. His mind flashed back to the strange memory of Aqua, hair long, and face still slightly rounded with youth. It must have been a really early memory.

"I'm just hoping for the best right now…" Ven murmured. "I mean… what else can I really do?"

Hope was quiet, and Lightning disappeared, into the kitchen, if Ven remembered correctly, and Hope sat down next to his friend.

"Have I ever really told you about Vanille?" Hope asked, staring at Naminé thoughtfully.

"You said she went away." Ven whispered.

"Yeah," Hope nodded. "She went to the Light Region."

Ven's eyes shot toward him, wide with amazement, and shock. "The Light Region?" Ven repeated, almost skeptically.

Hope smiled a little. "I know." He laughed dryly. "Her friend- her best friend, actually, Fang… well, let's just say she's worse than Lightning when it comes to defying the Master."

Ven raised an eyebrow. Worse than Lightning? He knew that when Lightning was young, she had done many, many crazy stunts to show that she was not a slave to Master Xehanort, but they had stopped when her house had burned down, and her parents had died. She had become a soldier, apparently, just so they wouldn't take away her younger sister. Not that it had helped in the long run, but at least they hadn't killed her.

"Okay? What happened?"

Hope leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. "Vanille and Fang were really, really close. I think they grew up together, or something, because they've got this freaky sister bond. But anyway, I met Vanille a year or two ago, when I got in trouble with a wall guard. She helped me get out of there, and she was the one who helped me through most of the grief when my mother died." He took a deep breath. "Fang never got the message like Lightning did. She kept going. And Vanille had to pay for it."

Ven leaned forward, eyes wide. "What? What'd the Master do?"

Hope scowled, and glared at the table. "There was a Gathering in the square. Vanille was supposed to be executed."

Ven blinked. "What?" He gasped, shaking his head. He was feeling better, warmer, stronger now. "What happened? She survived, right?"

"You remember that one gathering where the girl to be killed disappeared?" Hope asked, his lips tilting up a little.

Ven paused, and he remembered. "No way!" Ven gaped. "That was her?"

Hope nodded. "Fang took out all of her escorts, and found a way over the wall. I haven't heard from her since, but she's alive, and that's all that matters." He said quietly.

Ven stared at him, and silently agreed.

"What about Fang?" Ven asked.

"Still here."

Ven couldn't help but wonder what type of woman could take down Gathering escorts. Big, burly, trained to snap a person's neck with a flick of their wrist.

He didn't really want to meet Fang.

* * *

_Wowie. The flashbacks. There's more in the next chapter, but they're more casual, and less needed for the story._

_Fang and Vanille will come back. Eventually. *Shrug* I like this chapter, because it centers on Ven, but this one and the next are kind of just fillers. I think we're almost to the halfway point. Hmm..._

_So, um... Review? :] Tell me what you think happened to Ven when he was eleven. (By the way, I have over eighty reviews. O.O)_

_Next chapter: Que Sera Sera_

_It's Spanish, I think. It's pronounced: Kay se-rah se-rah_

_I was listening to that song while writing the next chapter (The Pink Martini version) and it kind of got shoved in there. Weird._

_REVIEW! *Growl* You know what happens when you don't!_

_Edit: Oh, GOD. XD I kept writing Breathe as 'Breath'. It's annoying to fix._


	15. Que Sera Sera

**White Knight: Fifteen :Que Sera Sera**

"_How the hell are you so good at climbing?" Terra gasped, staring up at his younger friend, who's tiny feet dangled from one of the higher branches of an oak tree._

_Aqua giggled, and bent forward a little. "Are you jealous, Terra?" She called mockingly. Terra's eyes narrowed._

"_Jealous that you can scale a tree? Seriously?" He rolled his eyes, and waved his arm offhandedly. "No way. You're just going to break your neck doing it."_

_Aqua frowned, and she gazed at him. Her expression was hurt, and she took hold of the branch above her, leaning forward a bit more. "Terra, don't joke about that!"_

"_About you breaking your neck?" Terra asked innocently, staring at the bottom of her velvety blue flats. They weren't meant for tree climbing. But he had to admit, he didn't mind Aqua being in a dress. She looked cute. _

_Aqua shook her head. "What if I actually did! You'd be so sorry you joked about it, Terra, you'd start to cry!" She shouted, her grip on the branch above her tightening._

"_I don't cry, Aqua." He called up, leaning his head back as an autumn breeze ran through the trees, leaves rustling around him. The red and yellow leaves of Aqua's tree shook, and Terra watched her long hair wisp around her head, making it look as if her head were covered in mist. His own tough spikes wavered, blowing about as if to prove they could defy gravity, but not nature._

_Aqua stared down at him, her eyes peering through the leaves and branches, and her face looked ghostly. It didn't help that they had just been to a funeral. The gathering had been awful, and gory as it was, but when the Master ordered mandatory attendance to the funeral, Terra had been feeling sick._

_If Terra didn't know better, he'd guess she was an animal, staring through the trees with her gaze fixed on his face so intently, he felt almost like prey. But he knew better. Aqua was just trying to figure out a way to make him cry. Which wouldn't be easy, not even for her. _

_The leaves ceased their shaking, and she stood on up on her branch. Terra stared at her feet, the rubbery bottoms looking useless to stay sturdy on the thin branch she had decided to occupy. The grip it had was awful, and Terra could almost see the slight movement as her shoes slipped slowly._

"_Everyone cries." Her voice echoed through the forest, and he almost felt sorry for his previous comments. She really sounded hurt._

"_I don't." He said quietly, wondering if he should begin to climb after her._

_She stared at him, the wind picking up again, sending her hair awry, floating above, and around her head flicking, flickering, a blue flame that licked her skin, and the wind fueled its craving for oxygen, sending it flying forward. His eyebrows furrowed at the thought. Why was it doing that?_

_But the rather terrifying shriek, and the sound of branches snapping, snapping, snapping, and the distant cries, and sickening rips that sounded as his tiny friend fell through the branches, downward. _

_He jumped forward as she finally broke through the thicket of branches, her body dropping, her weight sinking into his arms._

_He stumbled back, his leg nearly snagging on a rock. Aqua stared at him blankly, eyes wide with amazement, mouth gaping. She had cuts running up her arms, her cheeks had thin scratches running across them. Her shoulder lengths blue hair was knotted with twigs and leaves, and her dark blue dress had ripped in places._

"_Nice catch," she gasped, her eyes still wide._

_Terra nodded, too surprised to speak._

_Then she began to laugh. Her lips parted into a perfect 'o', and she threw her head back, her eyes closing. Terra was taken aback, and gravity finally caught up with him. He fell back the laughing girl collapsing onto his chest, her hair tickling his neck. _

_She gasped, tears beginning to form in the corner of her eyes. "Oh my gosh!" She shrieked, laughter echoing along in the breeze. "You were right!"_

"_When am I not?" He asked haughtily, still a bit too surprised to laugh along._

_She gasped, and buried her face in his neck, her laughter making her lips vibrate against his skin._

He felt something wet slide down his cheek. He opened his eyes, and self-consciously lift his hand to wipe the wetness away. He blinked, staring at the salty liquid that ran down his cheek.

He was crying.

_Oh, Lordy, _he thought, _I haven't cried since my parents died._

He noticed how incredibly stiff his back was, and he realized he was leaning against a wall. There was a heavy wool blanket laid over him, and he was wondering what he was doing here.

And then he realized it. What he was doing, why he was sitting on the floor. Why he was crying, even. The happiness from his dream faded, and he sat up straighter, the blanket sliding from his shoulders. It was _cold_. Even with it being winter, the mansion was heated. It was just cold. He stood, the blanket dropping to the floor. He turned, reaching towards the doorknob.

He hesitated, wondering why Aerith hadn't woken him up. Maybe she just didn't feel the need to?

Or maybe she didn't have the heart to tell him the bad news. He swallowed, getting a good grip on the silver knob, trying to gather his courage to open the door.

But he needed to know. He turned it, and listened to it creak, and open. He close his eyes, not really wanting to know the answer, but the anxiety was killing him, he just couldn't take it. He had to know. The chance that she was dead was weighing down on him, nagging at his mind. He couldn't. What if…?

The door swung, and he spotted the brunette, her long brown hair let out of its braid, partially pulled back into a bow. He wondered if she was going out, but then he noticed the blue nightgown, and he realized he must have been sleeping for a long time.

She was sitting on the floor, desk lamp on, her long (very, very long) hair reaching the ground, and gathering around her waist, splaying across the floor. She was holding a book, a dark green leather bound think, with a golden leaf foiled into the cover.

Her head snapped upward when the door opened, and her eyes widened. "Oh!" She gasped, "you're awake!"

Terra's eyes flickered toward the bed before he could stop them. He nearly dropped with relief. Aqua was laying on her back, blue hair floating around her head, skin the light pinky color that he was so familiar with.

He could hear her steady breathing. He stared, hoping he was seeing right.

_She's alive…_ His eyes widened, and he looked at Aerith, who tilted her head at him.

"Thank you…" He whispered. "Honestly, Aerith. This is the second time you've saved my best friend." He shook his head, realizing he owed this girl too much. How could he repay her for not only bringing Ven back from the dead, but saving Aqua right on the brink of death?

The girl was an angel on earth, that was for sure.

Aerith giggled, and set the book down. "You weren't exactly friends with Ven when I saved him, but alright."

Terra smiled, and shook his head. "I really, really can't thank you enough, Aerith." He said, "How can I repay you?"

She shrugged, and stood up. Her face became sullen, and tired. "Don't die, okay?"

Terra blinked, and stared at her. She smiled slightly, and sat down on her bed. "I'm serious, you know."

"I know."

"So answer."

He didn't. He looked away from her face, and noticed the darkness coming from the window, and the snow gathering on the sill.

"What the hell?" He walked over to the window, and bent forward, peering outside. But all he could see was the blank flurries that rained down on the world with such a force, he stepped back.

"It's a blizzard." Aerith said slowly. "I wouldn't suggest going out there."

"Blizzard?" He murmured, his mind digesting the fact that it had suddenly become night, and that there was a mass snow storm.

"I've been listening to the radio. People are missing left and right. It came too fast for people to be prepared for it." She said thoughtfully, running her fingers through her long hair, and she pulled the long wavy strands over her shoulder.

Terra's head snapped up, when he realized what she was implying. "Did Ven come back?"

Aerith shook her head. "I think they probably caught the blizzard before it got to its worst. They're probably hiding out in a store, or a house. They do that down in the town. There's a bar open in blizzards for anyone who gets stuck." She smiled gently. "Don't worry. If anything, they're stuck. People are missing, but they don't usually die in blizzards. Unless a tree falls on them." She giggled a little. "It doesn't really happen often though."

Terra was relieved once again, and he nodded, glancing out the window, watching the flakes build up against the window.

"This is so strange…" He murmured, pressing his hand against it. "What are the odds that there would be a blizzard at a time like this?"

"The odds are never in your favor, Terra." Aerith sighed, picking up her book. "It's awful how bad luck seems to be picking on you."

Terra shrugged, not tearing his eyes from the window. "I got used to it."

"You shouldn't of had to." She whispered.

He grunted, and turned from the window, watching Aqua's chest rise and fall in a natural rhythm.

"Qué sera sera."

Aerith looked up at him, her eyes widening slightly. "Huh?"

"Qué sera sera." He stated again, as if it were a simple answer.

"_Aqua!" Ven cried, burying his face in her side. "Aqua, what are they doing?"_

_Aqua didn't answer. Terra shuffled to her side, and they watched, faces wiped of emotion, as the Master brought down his key. _

_Aqua looked away at the final moment, and Terra could see the green hue her face had gained as they listened to the prominent _shlunk _of the blade imbedding itself into someone's chest. They were gagged, so it wasn't as if they could scream._

"_What happened?" Ven whispered, tears running down his cheeks. "Aqua, why isn't she moving?"_

_Aqua stared at him, and felt tears begin to fall down her cheeks as well. She couldn't stand gatherings. But… this was Ven's first one._

"_Aqua?" He gasped. "Why did this happen? Why'd he do that?"_

_She closed her eyes, and Terra awkwardly wrapped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly._

"_Qué sera sera, Ven." She whispered._

"_Kay what?"_

_Terra looked at her, and frowned. "Qué sera sera?" He repeated. "Didn't you used to sing that?"_

"_Yes." She sniffled, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I'm going out into the w-woods." She looked up at him and tried to smile, but it didn't work. "I'm taking Ven. Do you want to come?"_

"_Are you going to sing?" He asked cautiously. She scowled._

"_Yes."_

_He smiled, and nodded. "Qué sera sera." _

_She looked down, and took Ven's hand. "What will be will be."_

"_Qué… sera sera?" Ven murmured._

"_I don't think he understands…" Aqua whispered._

_Terra shrugged. "He's just learning how to spell his name. He's not going to get it."_

_Aqua glanced at him, and frowned. "Don't be mean." She hissed, tugged Ven away from the departing gatherers._

"_It's the truth!"_

"Qué sera sera?" Aerith repeated. "I… don't understand."

"It means literally 'what will be will be'. Some things we can't change, and some things we'll just have to wait out. But they'll be what they are. I can't pretend like I'm going to be fine, because I know that my days are so numbered, I've got a clock ticking on my forehead." He frowned, and began to focus on Aqua's breathing again. "But I'll have to just… keep moving forward, I guess."

Aerith was silent, staring at him blankly as if he had begun to speak Martian. She shook her head, her long hair flying around her. "No," She said, "Your days aren't numbered, Terra. You just need to find a way to stop the clock."

"Easier said then down." He said dryly. "The clock just stabbed my best friend- one of the few things that actually keeps me living. It will make every last second long, and painful."

Aerith stood, and glared at him. He'd never seen her so angry before. Aerith wasn't an angry person. She was bubbly, and full of life, eager to help anyone who needed it. This made him uneasy. "Hey! Stop being such a pessimist, and focus on _now_! You aren't dead, and Aqua's not dead, and Ventus isn't dead, so just get all these negative feelings about your demise out, because if you're right, you're going to want to make every second count!"

It was Terra's turn to stare. He gazed at her, mouth open slightly. She was right, of course. He was sulking much to much.

Aerith took a deep breath. "I think I get it…" She murmured. "Qué sera sera. It means that whatever's going to happen will happen the way it's supposed to, but that doesn't mean you can give up on it. You can't know what's going to happen, and you can influence the outcome if you tried hard enough! What will be will be, but you can't give up on trying to make whatever that is bend in your favor!"

Terra didn't know what to say, honestly. He didn't even really need to talk. All he need to do was stand, and listen, and he could almost hear Aqua's light voice echoing in the trees as she stroked Ven's hair.

"_**When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother, "What will I be? Will I be pretty, will I be rich?" Here's what she said to me, "Qué sera sera. Whatever will be will be. The future's not ours to see. Qué sera sera."**__" Terra watched, surprised, as Ven's head titled, and fell onto Aqua's shoulder._

"_**When I just a child in school I asked my teacher, "What should I try? Should I paint pictures? Should I sing songs?" This was her wise reply, "Qué sera sera. Whatever will be will be. The future's not ours to see. Qué**_ _**sera sera."**__" Ven's eyes drooped closed, and Terra wondered if she was going to stop singing. He'd heard this song many times before, but it seemed different now. _

"Right…" He said slowly, looking at Aerith. "You're right. I should give up hope just yet."

She smiled a little. "Oh, that's the spirit!"

He gave her a small smile himself, and he looked back at Aqua, watching her peaceful expression.

* * *

Ven woke up to the distant rustling. He cracked his eyes opened, and saw thin arms flailing above him in the darkness. He couldn't recall where he was, but the fact that he was on the floor was a dead give away that he wasn't in his room. He sat up, and blinked blearily, listening to the tiny whimpers his friend gave off.

Her eyes were closed, but her arms were all over, and she scratched at her skin, leaving long drags of blood on her face and arms. She begin to thrash, and it was then Ven realized that she'd probably hurt her broken leg even worse at this rate.

He pressed his hand on her shoulder, but she smacked it, and flailed even more, tears running down her cheeks, running through the jagged scratches, mixing with blood. She gasped, and began to sob, shaking her head, and sitting up.

She was still asleep, Ven reminded himself, trying not to panic. She wasn't in control of her actions.

When was she ever?

Ven grabbed her hands to keep her from scratching some more, but she began to wail, shaking her head, screaming words he couldn't quite understand.

She sobbed, throwing her head back onto the arm of the couch, murmuring.

"No…" She whispered. She shrieked, and sat up again. "No! Help me!" She struggled against his grasp. "Help me! Please! Get me out, get me out!" She looked helpless, her tiny body trembling, and thrashing, and her face twisted in agony. At least her leg was still elevated.

Ven heard a moan, and he turned a little, getting an earful of screams. It was Riku, dragging himself off the floor. He had been sleeping on it too, while Xion and Naminé took the sofa and chair.

Naminé sobbed again, her arms reaching out, and grabbing his shirt. She pulled him down to his knees, and she howled, her eyes opening. They were wide, fearful, and something else that made Ven want to jump back.

They were crystal clear.

* * *

_Why do I keep pushing the halfway point back? I need to finish this thing THIS MONTH. *Dies*_

_Again, Que sera sera is Spanish for 'what will be will be'. It's pronounced: KAY SE-RAH SE-RAH. I was listening to the Pink Martini version while writing this. It's a cute lullaby, actually._

_... I don't like Spanish, but I really like the song, and I had it stuck in my head when I was writing this, so I put it on, and ta da!_

_Mmm. Teraqua, check, VenNami, check (kind of). Okay, I'm off._

_Next Chapter: Memory Reap_

_HA HA! I just got why they call it the Grim Reaper! Because Reaping is gathering, and... Oooh. I get it! Yay._

_More of Ven's past is revealed next chapter. Hurrah! _

_Halfway point- three chapters. Maybe two._


	16. Memory Reap

**White Knight: Sixteen :Memory Reap**

Ven tried to contain his fear, recalling the last time he had seen Naminé's eyes so focused into the land of the sane. Her psychotic rampage over his chest, her sharp eyes, her very essence becoming indistinguishable. He found himself trapped, stuck between running, and hiding from the insane girl, or trying to get her to stop crying. He felt relieved when she let go of his shirt.

It seemed that every breath she took was a scream. Shaky, and bloody, she let out another sob, her fingernails dragging down her scalp, to her ears, tears flowing like a waterfall down her pale cheeks, eyes wide, and absolutely terrified.

"Oh my God," She rasped. "Oh my God!" She wailed, and shook her head, her blonde hair falling over her face. Her hair, like the rest of her, had red mixed in, making her look horribly like a sobbing corpse. She looked up at him, her big blue eyes drowning in the tears of their own making, and she let go of her head, the bloody tips of her fingers grasping the end of his sleeve.

"Ventus!" She half whispered, half wailed. Her eyes still clear, despite the river of tears. "Please, Ventus! Help me!" She tugged on his sleeve, and he cautiously edged forward. She sobbed even louder.

"What the hell?" Riku grunted from behind him. Xion had been shocked awake, and she was now shrunken in her chair, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Ventus!" She shrieked it this time, her voice shaking. "Oh, please… get me out. Please get me out of here, Ventus!"

"Naminé?' He whispered, utterly shocked. What did he want her to do?

"Help me. Out. _Get me out_!" She screamed, her face becoming more and more hysterical.

"What the hell is going on?" Lightning's voice echoed into the dark living room, as Naminé made it clear she was beyond helping at the moment. She had completely broken down, weeping into Ven's chest.

Lightning was holding a candle, making it obvious power was down. Hope entered cautiously after, staring at Naminé in slight awe.

"What happened?" He gasped, stepping forward. Naminé was beginning to scratch at her head again.

"I don't know!" Ven yelped, trying to grab her hands again. "Naminé, stop!"

She fought his hands, and cried out, her face almost unrecognizable through the tears and blood and scratches, and hair. Not even her eyes were the same. "I can't!" She screeched, pulling at her hair. "I can't stop until I get out!"

"Get out? Naminé, there's a blizzard outside!" He pushed the younger girl down, hoping that she'd stay calm. But he had no luck, as she just screamed some more, and flailed.

"No!" She began to retch, and she dug her nails her face. "No… no… I need to get out of… of…" Her voice broke into a sob, and she shook her head.

"Out of what?" Ven shouted, grabbing her shoulders out of annoyance, and pinning them down. She gave a shudder, and she wailed. She shook her head, blood sliding down her cheeks, getting run over by tears.

"_My head._" She whispered, quieting. She trembled, and gave tiny whimpers, squeezing her eyes closed.

Ven stared at her, unsure of how to react. Her head? _Her head_. He couldn't understand it, and yet…

He understood it. She was mutilating her scalp, and face. He could understand why now.

But he couldn't understand the reasoning behind the insanity.

She began to thrash again, and she dug her nails into his arm, screaming. Ven stumbled back, getting caught by Riku before he fell onto the glass table.

Riku pushed him upright, and he glared at the girl. "What's the off switch?" He asked over the screaming.

Ven shook his head, moving forward to calm her down. "She doesn't have one! She won't stop until she kills herself, or very nearly!" He dove to grab her arms again, but he was pulled back by Lightning.

"She's going to end up hurting you." Lightning said evenly, glaring at Naminé in the same fashion Riku was. Ven didn't understand why they were using such a gaze, but it bothered him.

"Well it's my job to calm her down, so I've got to try and stop her anyway, right?" Ven asked, pushing Lightning away.

"At the expense of your well being?" Lightning snapped, dragging him back by the collar. Ven felt like he was being scolded by his mother, or something. If he knew what it was like to have a mother.

"I'm dead anyway!" Ven shouted, pushing her back a little more harshly. He already had a few scratches, most of them were bleeding, and he knew that inevitably he would get more. She wasn't talking anymore. Or even wailing. She was just screaming.

He grabbed her wrists, and felt her nails claw into his hands, dragging long shallow cuts across them. Ven needed to get her nails filed. She had bitten them to such a ragged edge, that even if she just grazed his skin, there would be a mark.

Lightning managed to pull him away once more, and Ven objected. "Stop it! Please! I need to-"

"Why do you think that you're dead?" Lightning asked, looking angry. "Why would you think that?"

Ven stared at her. He had forgotten that no one really knew about the Master's threat except for Aqua and Naminé. He pulled back, hoping to stop Naminé's thrashing, but Lightning was too strong.

"I…" Ven whispered. "I… have to protect her. Not just because it's my job. She's my friend, too. Above anything else, she's my friend, and I don't care if she hurts me, because it's my job as her friend and servant to protect her."

"Servant?" Hope said distantly. Ven had almost forgotten he was in the room.

Riku frowned, and glanced at Naminé, who was still thrashing. "Lightning, do you have any sedatives?"

"No!" Ven yelped. "Don't drug her!"

Riku looked at him. "What do you suppose we do, then?" He asked haughtily. "Wait for her to kill herself, and probably you, seeing as you refuse to back down? I don't think so."

"The only drugs I have are painkillers." Lightning said, her grip on Ven's arm as tight as ever. "I don't know how many to give her to knock her out. Even if I did, shoving that many down her throat would be…" She trailed off, as Ven got more restless.

"Okay." Riku said slowly, staring at Naminé. "Do you think you can control her… Ven?"

Ven gulped. "Er…" He laughed shakily. "She doesn't listen to me that much when she's in psycho mode. If she did, she probably wouldn't of sexually harassed me so much." He said thoughtfully.

Hope made a small noise, that was between a snort and a surprised shout. Riku raised an eyebrow, but he said nothing. Maybe because he was the one most used to Naminé's personality, or maybe because he had seen the girl tear through hundreds of stuffed animals with a pair of scissors, and threatening to do the same to almost everyone she comes in contact with. That she bothers to acknowledge.

At this news, Lightning's grip slackened a bit in shock. Just enough for Ven to tear out of her grasp, and grab Naminé's flailing arms.

"Naminé, stop it!" He shouted. She screamed even louder, and threw her head back. "Naminé!"

She opened her eyes, and screamed again. "Out!" She shrieked, her nails slashing Ven's wrist. "Out!"

"Naminé, please!" Ven pleaded desperately. "Stop it!"

"Get me out…" She sobbed. "Please." Tears of agony fell onto her bloody face, and she screamed again.

Ven felt her tear through the skin of his arms, and she began to wail again, her eyes closing. She scratched at him, and screamed, and Hope called out her name, but she kept on screaming and scratching. For how long, Ven wasn't sure. Eventually Hope began to get desperate, and he shuffled to Ven's side, and pinned down the girl's shoulders.

Lightning did not object, though she looked bothered. Riku was staring at Naminé hopelessly. Xion was still shrunken in her chair, shaking her head, and mumbling softly to herself.

"_Naminé_." Ven said in clear desperation. "Please! Just wake up!"

"Out…" She moaned, shaking her head. She opened her eyes, her body shaking horribly, her nails drawing more blood from his arms. But there was something suddenly different about her gaze, as her grip slackened.

She stared at him blankly, her eyes becoming sharp and narrowed. Ven blinked back a gasp, recalling the sharpness. The gaze was familiar. The gaze of the scary girl who had carved into his chest. The gaze that was so, so familiar- but not from the memory of his friend cutting his chest up, no. It was so familiar… And he realized it, as they faded to foggy.

He spun around, his friend collapsing, exhausted. He spotted the young dark haired girl looking at him blankly, though her expression was relieved.

Lightning was at Hope's side already, checking Naminé's leg for any more damage. All this while Ven could only stare, the revelation creeping upon him, nagging him. How had he not noticed it?

Because it was just too easy to get mistaken.

But he had to be mistaken. How could she of done this? With magic?

What kind of magic could do that? And why would she use it in such an awful way?

Ven breathed, and stared into her eyes. Her deep blue, shining, blank, narrowed, sharp eyes. And he shook his head.

"You." He whispered.

She stared at him, almost innocently. Riku looked at him.

"You!" Ven gasped, trying to keep his knees from shaking. "You did it! You were the one… who…"

"Excuse me?" Xion's quiet voice was almost as innocent as her expression. Sweet, and filled with sugar and honey. She blinked at him.

"You… How? How do you do that? How can you get inside her head and just…" He looked at the slumbering girl. "Turn it off."

"What?" Xion asked, looking shocked.

"You… you were the one who possessed her. Oh, God, I actually thought it was her. Why would you do that?" Ven stepped towards her, and she shrunk into her chair. "How could you do that?"

"I didn't…" Xion gasped, her eyes widening.

"Yes you did." Ven interjected softly. "Don't deny it. You did. And you just did it again. You crept inside her head while she wasn't looking, and you pushed her back, and took over. Why would you do that?"

"I didn't!" Xion cried.

"You did." Ven whispered. "Don't lie, Miss Xion. I can tell by your eyes. They're so different. Compared to Naminé's they're clear, and sharp." He stared at her. "Miss Xion. You can get inside her head. Make her do things."

Xion didn't answer. She just stared, as if she had been slapped in the face. "I-"

"Why?" Ven asked, stepping forward. His voice was more urgent. "Why would you?"

"Stop it." Riku said, walking towards him. "She doesn't understand."

"Yes she does." Ven said, recalling how Xion had been sick the day Naminé attacked him. The way she fell to the floor, and the way Naminé had tried to keep her distance from her. The way Naminé snapped out of the possession for a moment, realizing what was going on, before she was dragged back into the depths of her mind. The way she apologized, and apologized.

Xion knew quite well what he was talking about.

"Why would you do that?" Ven cried. "Why? Why would you-"

"I said stop it!"

"She's your sister, and she's scared, and you take advantage of that? Why would you be so cruel as to use whatever gift you have against her? Why-"

"Dammit, Roxas, I said _stop_!"

Ven felt his head get heavy. He didn't understand why, but his mind was reacting strangely. It spun, and he fell forward, face first, his vision blurring.

_Her laughter rang in his ears, and he blushed. His brother stared at the girl, younger than him, as her short red hair blew around her face, the wind picking it up. She shook her head. "I see! Okay!" She jumped off the wall she had been sitting on, and a brunette boy blinked, apparently snapping into reality. Ven noticed a crown was painted on his cheek. He rubbed the area around his own painted insignia. It was silver, just like the boy's crown._

_The girl was much smaller than him, wearing a festive purple dress, that hung at her knees, rippling with every movement. She looked like a flower. And that's what she had painted on her cheek. A bright yellow daisy. _

_She turned her head up at him, and grinned. "You two are gonna race, and the one who wins gets to light the first firework!" She gasped, clapping at the own genius of her plan._

_The brunette laughed. "Oh, this should be good! Kairi, they can't go against each other. They'll run forever." He said, laying down on the wall._

"_Well, from here, to the wall, and back. How does that sound?" She looked at the two brothers. "Fair?"_

"_Totally!" Ven quipped. His brother looked at him, and Ven noticed the strange silver thing on his face. It looked like a four pointed star, or a… what was it called? A shuriken. Ven noticed the same design on his shirt's zipper as well. But he caught sight of the same insignia Ven had strapped to his chest, and he blinked._

"_Alright, I'll be base!" The brunette chirped, jumping from the wall. "Or flag. Or whatever it's called…" He scratched the back of his head, and laughed a little._

"_Yay!" Kairi giggled. "Oh! And you guys! Don't go talking to strangers. And don't kill each other, because we're gonna be in front of the entire Light Region tonight for the Festival. The Master would skin you alive if you showed up after a fight." She shivered, and shook her head._

"_We won't, Kairi." Ven found himself saying. "We compete with speed, not strength."_

_His brother agreed, glancing at the sun. It was setting._

"_We should start." He said, nodding to the sun. "The Festival's starting at twilight."_

"_You're right!" Ven gasped, looking at the sun himself. "Oh, I feel sick…" He moaned, swaying._

_The brunette pushed him playfully. "Nuh uh, you can't chicken out. Or else the Master won't train you guys anymore!"_

"_Not true." Kairi piped up. "He would teach anyone who asked."_

"'_Cept a Red Man." The brunette said playfully. "Like that one who attacked you."_

_Kairi stared at him for a second, and looked away. Ven had a fleeting memory of panic, and chaos in the town as they found the red head to be missing. "Okay, ready, Roxas?" Ven asked, crouching down. _

_Roxas looked at him, and nodded, crouching down as well._

"_Ha," He smirked. "You're gonna lose."_

"_In your dreams!" Ven laughed, as Kairi jumped on Sora's back, resting her chin in his spiky hair. "Okay, you guys ready?" She asked as Sora spread his arms out, palms out to the side, waiting for the victor to slap one._

_They didn't answer. _

"_Set?" Kairi shouted. No answer._

"_Go!" She shrieked, as both boys were off like a bullet, flying down the street neck and neck._

_Ven pushed his legs, though he really didn't need to, to go faster, but when he did, Roxas just pressed forward as well. The seemed to be evenly matched._

_The wove through the crowd, taking no notice to the citizens setting up stands for the festival. They just swerved, and kept going, wind throwing their spiky blonde hair back from their faces. Ven slid under a table that had been parked in the middle of a street temporarily, while Roxas jumped on top of it. Ven was in the lead now._

_Not for long however. Roxas skillfully jumped over him, landing a few feat ahead. Ven caught up quickly, and they were again neck and neck. They reached the wall, and Ven slapped it, pivoting to go back, when Roxas stopped. Ven ran, caring only that he was now in the lead. But he stopped as well, sensing the overwhelming darkness that erupted from farther down the wall, by a cliff that led to a ravine. Ven shivered, and stopped as well._

_Roxas had taken off before Ven could object, down the narrow path towards the cliff's edge, and Ven wanted to cry out about his idiocy, but being the younger twin, he felt it unwise. He bolted after him, crying his name, feeling the darkness prickle his skin. He was getting a horrible feeling. The sun sank lower into the sky as Roxas stopped, and Ven rushed to catch up._

_Roxas growled, and summoned his Keyblade, a long, dark blade, that looked incredibly threatening in the glint of the sunset. Ven stopped, watching him raise it._

_He was blown back by the sudden explosion, and he gasped, as he hit the wall, falling to the ground after he felt the stabbing pain in his side. He panted a little, clutching his chest. _

"_Ven, go get the Master!" Roxas screamed, and Ven heard the clang of his Keyblade against another. Ven leaned all his weight to his good side, and he looked up, through the dust. Roxas was fighting a man, bald, tan skinned, and golden eyed. Ven could tell what he was from a mile away._

"_Red Man…" He whispered. Edging forward. He sat up, on his knees, holding his side, and glaring at the man._

"_Ven!" Roxas shouted, looking back at him. "I told you! Go ba-" Ven let out a cry of warning, stumbling to his feet. But it was much too late. The blade had fallen upon his brother's cheek, throwing him into the wall, his cheek opened in a wide gash, blood pouring from the wound. Ven stared, his mouth agape. _

_The last rays of sun fell over the horizon. Half of the sky was already darkened. If Ven listened, he could probably hear firecrackers. He breathed, and stepped forward shakily. He stared at the man's cold eyes, as he lifted his blade to plunge it into his brother's heart._

_Ven ran forward, scooping up Roxas's fallen Keyblade, and let out a cry of rage._

"Roxas!" Ven gasped, sitting up. He blinked, feeling a bed under him. A dream?

"Rox… Rox…"

The door opened, and Ven looked up, and noticed Hope standing in the doorway, frowning. "Riku was put in time out for making you faint." He said, eyes playful, but voice filled with seriousness.

"I fainted?" Ven whispered, trying to recall what had happened before the crazy dream. Or memory. No. It was a memory. Definitely.

"Yeah. After you accused Xion of… I honestly don't know. What were you talking about?" He looked curious, and sat down on Ven's- his, more likely- bed.

Ven blinked and looked down. "Um… She… possessed Naminé. A little while ago. She tried to kill me, I think." He rubbed the scar on his chest absently. "I can't really explain how I know. But there's this thing about Naminé… her eyes are really distant, and cloudy. So I can see the difference when Xion shows up. Because her eyes are distinct too. They're very intelligent, and acute. I don't know how to put it, but I know it's Xion who did it. I saw it again when Naminé passed out. She took over Naminé's mind, and shut it down."

Hope looked a little shaken at this, and Ven took it as a sign he believed him. "She tried to kill you?"

Ven laughed, realizing that was all Hope had gotten out of his explanation.

* * *

_...You all know what happens when I don't get the number of reviews I like, right? I know last chapter sucked, but... come on. You know I'm not reasonable._

_Which is why the next three or so chapters are going to basically torture all three characters. Well not so much the next one, until the end. But still._

_I blame every. Single. Second. On all of you who didn't review. -.- Didn't you learn your lesson last time?_

_Did I catch anyone with the Xion thing? Ven isn't going crazy, it's actually her._

_You also learn more about Ven and Roxas. And Sora and Kairi. _

_... I want some reviews. *Growl* _

_OH! To those who DID review: :] Thank you. *Gives cookie* For them, I may make the ending a little happy. _

_For those who didn't review... I blame what will happen to Terra, Aqua, and Ven in the next three (or four) chapters on you._

_Next Chapter: It All Pours Out_


	17. It All Pours Out

**White Knight: Seventeen :It All Pours Out**

When Aqua finally awoke from her slumber, she found her whole abdomen aching. She had no clue why. She kept still, wondering if she should press her hand against the most achy spot to make sure nothing was wrong with it. Felt very comfortable wrapped in her sheets, and she couldn't help but smile. She may feel achy, but she hadn't felt so refreshed in weeks. Probably because she had gotten little rest, and ended up laying in bed, wide awake, thinking. She sometimes left the room at night to wander.

The aching was coming from around her stomach area, just beside where her actual organ was. She subconsciously placed her hand on that area, and her fingers brushed across a cool white fabric that felt nothing like her sheets. In fact, it felt much like a…

Her eyes snapped open, recalling all of her anguish in yesterday's fight for her life. The pain in her stomach was so dull now, she wondered if she had healed herself while unconscious. That would be cool. But it wasn't practical. She knew she was good at magic, but she was only a self-taught novice. She couldn't heal herself without focusing all her energy into healing. Which meant the scarier option that someone might've healed her.

Now, usually this would be a great thing, but with magic lurking around trouble was sure to follow. Especially with that source of Dark Magic. She wasn't sure what to do, really.

She sat up, and gasped a little as pain shot up her side. She blinked back a few tears, and pushed back her blanket. She gripped her pillow dizzily, and pondered why she wasn't dead.

The world was not quiet. It was howling, actually. Wind beat against the windows, sending snow flying in the daylight. Aqua tried to process this, but she was focused on the rhythm. What was it? What was that sound?

The light, but low sound, that made her look around the room wearily. Aerith wasn't in her bed. This was to be expected.

A thought crossed Aqua's mind. Aerith. Had she healed her? With he strange non-magical means of healing? Aqua sat straighter, and pondered some more. How did she get to Aerith, anyway? She didn't recall anything… but she might've forgotten some things in the pain. She tried to think back, but only to pull away, finding the memory too painful.

The low sound made Aqua look toward the end of her bed. She suddenly recalled the thing she had really been trying to remember.

Terra had saved her.

She swallowed, and stared at him. He looked so much like he had when he was eight, slumbering innocently next to her bed. His head was nestled into her blankets, but his face was still visible. He looked as if he had sat down to watch her, and fell asleep like that. The sound of his slow breathing made her smile, and yet sad that she had never repaid him for all that she had owed him before this incident.

She scooted closer to him, hoping to catch him by surprise before he awoke, but she realizes she was lacking a shirt. How had she not noticed? She looked down. Bandages were tightly wrapped around her abdomen, they partially covered her bra. It had felt like a very uncomfortable shirt.

Aqua twisted, hissing in pain, and swung her legs over the side of her bed, watching her bare feet touch the floor. She shivered, the whole room drafting cold air towards her. She wanted to hide back under the covers and forget this ever happened. But Terra was still in the room, so she had to at least get into pajamas before he woke up.

She stood, and felt all the muscles in her body reject the motion. But still, she stepped forward, her feet making very little, but still too much, noise as they crept toward the blue-haired girl's dresser.

She pulled open a drawer, cringing as it made the slightest noise, and grabbed the nearest pair of pants she could find, sliding them over her legs. She gasped in pain more than once, and Terra stirred. Aqua froze for a moment, staring at him, before watching him settle back into the position he had been in.

She breathed, and grabbed a shirt, tugging it over her head. She twisted by mistake, sending pain all throughout her stomach, and up her chest, and down her legs. Aqua cried out, tumbling forward.

The whole torso screamed in pain as she collapsed onto the floor. She trembled, trying to pull herself to her knees. Panting, and on the verge of tears, she pulled up, her back arching. She stared, getting a perfect view of her stomach. The cotton bandages were now soaked with blood. She gasped, the pain proving too much, and fell back onto the ground. Fetal position would've been present if it didn't hurt so much to move.

She heard the lightest shuffle against the howling outside, and the pounding of her head. "Aqua!" Terra's voice sounded so nice. She had forgotten how wonderful it was to hear it. But she was getting tired of hearing it laced with panic. She was trying to recall the last time he had said her name without sounding so heart wrenchingly scared.

She listened, eyes half opened as she writhed in pain, as Terra's heavy footsteps came closer to her. She felt herself being flipped onto her back, and she choked back a sob, a few tears straying onto her cheeks. Her stomach was viciously in pain, and she barely felt herself being scooped into Terra's lap.

"Aqua…" His voice was distant. "Aqua, please. Come on… don't die on me. Not now that I finally got you back. You can't. You… you ca-" He didn't finish. Aqua felt her pain subside quite a bit, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Drawing a shaky breath, she sat in Terra's lap, too scared to move. Terra was shaking as well, though not from pain as Aqua was. He was shaking from the fear and panic.

_Does he really care so much about me?_ The calmer voice at the back of her mind wondered, as she was pulled closer to his chest. It was a stupid question. She panted, leaning her head against his torso. She knew that Terra had always cared for her. More than anyone ever really had. She could barely remember her parents now. Her mother's face was obscured, and her father's eyes were hidden behind the reflection of light in his glasses. Terra and Ven were her real family. They cared for her like no one else, and she cared for them the same. She realized it, as the pain in her stomach faded slowly, that it was because they all shared the same horrible truth. That they really didn't have any family.

Except Terra. He had Riku. Riku, who dared to bring Terra back from the Light Region. One family member that actually did care for him, and watched his back. And Terra would return the favor openly, and without hesitation. This was what was remarkable about the two of them. The direct blood relatives to Master Xehanort were almost his direct opposite.

She breathed and the pain in her stomach seemed to be just a ghost now. She blinked, and sat up, staring at him. He looked distraught, worry written across his face, etched into his frown. He still had an arm firmly around her, and he looked at her blood soaked bandage. Now that she looked at it, it wasn't too bad. Her wound had probably closed, and then reopened. It explained the pain.

She took another shaky breath. "T-Terra?" She whispered, unsure of what to really say.

He stared at her, his mouth opening. He closed it, and frowned again. Then, he opened it. "Did you heal yourself?" He sounded confused. As was she.

She shook her head, and placed her hand on her bandage, gently unclasping the pin that held it in place. She peeled it off, and stared at her bloody abdomen in wonder.

There was no wound.

Terra gaped, and made a small noise of shock. "You did heal yourself…" He whispered. "I saw it. Your stomach glowed."

"I didn't." She said in an equally quiet voice. "I was in too much pain."

His eyes widened. "B-but… then… who healed you?" His grip tightened around her waist, and Aqua began to wipe the blood smeared onto her navel.

"You did."

She said this very calmly. Though she was just as surprised as he was. This made it clear that Terra could use magic. A weak level of it, now that she examined her stomach closer. There was a faint scar the ran diagonally from her hip to a lower rib. She wondered if this was all he could do. She knew her own magic well, but she had never met someone who shared the skill, besides the Master.

"No I didn't." Terra said, shaking his head. His eyebrows furrowed. "I definitely can't do magic. You know that."

Aqua was silent. She folded her bandage, and used the part that was not soaked to wipe up the rest of the blood. "It wasn't me. And… I've had this theory for a while now… That all Keyblade Wielders have some form of magic within them." She let the bandage soak up all the blood around her navel, and by her hip.

Terra's eyes widened. When had she developed this theory? "That would mean Vanitas has magic. And Riku."

"...Yes."

Terra took a deep breath. He would know if he healed Aqua, right? He would've felt the magic. But then again…

He was too afraid to feel anything else. Maybe he had healed Aqua. Maybe she was right. Both she and Master Xehanort had magic. And so did Master Eraqus, seeing as he had put that barrier around him. A very, very strong barrier. And Riku…

Riku could call and dismiss that barrier at the wall. There was also Sora, who could wield his own Keyblade rather well. Did he have magic? He didn't heal himself when he had been hurt by Vanitas.

But like Aqua maybe he had been too disoriented to. Was it possible that all Keyblade wielders had magic? Could he actually heal people as Aqua did? The source of Dark Magic Aqua had sensed…

"It's him…" He whispered.

"Who?" Aqua asked, sliding off of his lap.

"Vanitas. He's the one that you sensed."

Aqua looked down. "I… thought, maybe it was him. But I wasn't sure. It could've been Master Xehanort, or…"

"It's Vanitas."

She didn't answer. She tugged her shirt down over her stomach, and pressed her knuckles to her lips. She looked… frightened.

"If he figures it out…"

Terra swallowed. If Vanitas found out that Aqua had magic, she stood no chance. If he found out that Terra had suddenly gained magical abilities, he'd be sent off on more missions than usual. And he couldn't go on more missions. He couldn't kill anyone else.

"Aqua…" He reached out, and took her hand. She shook her head, and leaned against his shoulder.

"Terra, when did things get so complicated?" She whispered, staring at Aerith's empty bed with wonder.

Terra looked down at her, and frowned. "I don't really know…" He said, feeling strands of her hair brush against his neck. "I think things have always been complicated."

"Not like this." She murmured, burying her face in his arm.

Terra stared at her.

What could he do, really?

She was right. Their lives were too complicated. It seemed like the universe was making things hard for them on purpose.

She shivered, and he barely noticed her tears.

Barely.

* * *

Ven shivered, pulling on his coat over his usual outfit. He remembered the days when he had to wear dress shirts. How nice a change it was when Naminé told him he could wear what he wanted.

He wandered out his door, following Hope. He saw his breath, and he knew the blizzard couldn't last for much longer. It had to stop at sometime. And once it did, they would leave immediately.

They entered the living room, and Ven felt the heat of the fire they had built in the fireplace calm his nerves. He really hated the cold.

Which reminded him…

"You're awake." Lightning mused, shoving another log in the fire.

"Yeah…" Ven said slowly. Naminé was still asleep on the couch. Xion was huddled in a corner of the room, looking pale compared to her usually almost tan complexion. He wanted to be mad at her, but it was hard. She looked too much like Naminé, with that lost expression.

Riku was sitting on the couch, looking deep in thought. He had managed to look up when Ven entered though.

Xion made a whimpering noise when she spotted him. Had he really been so harsh? She invaded her sister's mind. How could Ven not be at least agitated?

Hope looked at him, and made a small face, before he sat down beside Lightning, and took a small radio from a shelf above the fireplace, and fiddled with it.

Riku looked at him. "Nice to see you're alright."

The sound of his voice actually made him seethe with anger. He had the audacity to act so friendly when… when it was so obvious he knew…

But Ven didn't show any anger. It was repressed, and he felt sad suddenly. "How long have you known?" He asked, staring at Riku's very bright aquamarine eyes. These eyes widened. The log Lightning was handling snapped, Hop dropped the radio, and Xion just whimpered. Naminé called out in her sleep.

"Gorillas!" She shouted, leaving everyone in the room to stare at her. Everyone except for Riku, who was staring blankly at Ven.

"What?" He asked quietly. "What do you mean?"

"Roxas." Ven said slowly, the events of his dream- no; it was a memory- playing in his head. "My brother."

Riku tensed at this, and Hope's eyes flashed to Ven in surprise. Lightning had tossed her broken log into the fire, and turned to look at him. Xion's eyes widened, and Ven decided that she had not known this fact. Naminé muttered something about crackers.

"My _big_ brother." He continued. "The one who always tried to keep me safe when there was danger. The shyer, slightly slower version of me. You know about him, because you called me by his name." Ven gripped the edge of his coat. "I want to know how and why."

Riku gaped at him, making it obvious he didn't know what to do. Or he was just shocked.

"You have a brother?" Hope asked finally, after Ven stood in silence for a minute.

Ven nodded dumbly, the mirror of his face, with a strange little shuriken painted onto his right cheek coming to mind. "Please tell me." Ven said quietly, looking down. "I… just want to know. You know, if he's okay, or…" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Or really anything about him. I can't remember that much."

Riku continued to stare. Ven's shoulders shook, and he gripped his coat until his knuckles turned white.

"Ven…" Riku said finally. "You… actually… remember?"

Ven felt angry again. "I've been remembering a lot of stuff lately. Like how Xehanort attacked us on the _other side of the wall_. Did you know I lived in the Light Region? And I had friends. Like Terra and Aqua, except with different personalities. And… I liked it. I really liked it. I was happy, and not the 'I can settle with this, because I love these guys' kind of happy. It was just that warm burst of whatever in your stomach that makes you laugh, and not even realize how good life is until it's not anymore." Ven breathed, and he stared into Riku's eyes, a sort of desperation in his own, begging for an answer.

Riku could still only stare. He looked sorry, in some way, but in others he just didn't know what to do.

"He was trying to get to Kairi." Riku said gently. Ven's eyes widened, as he recalled the red haired girl with the flower on her cheek. "I think. That's what Master Eraqus thinks. You two got in the way, and stopped him before he could really get anywhere. But he managed to bang up Roxas really good… and kidnap you."

Kairi… Master Eraqus…

"I know them." Ven said distantly.

"You should," Riku said quietly. "Kairi was a really good friend of yours. And Master Eraqus was your… guardian."

"Guardian?" Ven repeated.

"Your parents died." Riku elaborated, frowning. "The horrible thing is… that Master Eraqus has had all of his… wards I guess you can say, be attacked by the same man."

"Master Xehanort…"

"Yeah." Riku scratched the back of his head. "Um…"

"Riku," Ven said, looking very much like a small child. "Is he alright?"

Riku didn't answer right away. He sat up a little straighter, and looked at Ven, as if trying to understand his very existence.

"He's fine." Riku said finally. "Just don't go looking for him."

Ven perked, and stared at Riku and disbelief. "Really? He's alive?"

"Alive, and perfectly fine."

Ven collapsed onto the floor next to Hope, and smiled in relief.

It didn't even matter that he could barely remember anything else about him. He knew what he needed. His twin was safe.

* * *

Terra sat, in his own room at last. He stared out the window, watching stars appear in the suddenly clear sky. No more snow. Ven was bound to be back any time now.

He smiled to himself, just giddy on the thought that Aqua was alive. Aerith had done a wonderful job patching her up in reality. It was Aqua's fault the wound reopened. Though they both automatically blamed him for being a pervert.

The stars darted across the sky, and Terra thought suddenly, _where are we?_

Because really, he didn't know much about his world, or any other world. He just knew that this was life, and he was living it. What a universe it is. You can't understand the workings of life, and yet every person strives to. Why? What was the point when whenever they reached for it, it slipped from their fingers?

He laid down on his bed, and stared at the ceiling, wondering what kind of person his mother had been before the Master killed her. If his father was anything like his uncle. If he would turn out to be like that man when he grew old. Why Riku's mother was with the Master in the first place, if it was by will.

Terra also pondered on the old saying: _Speak of the devil and he shall come. _Well he was speaking of the devil alright. Did he come?

Oh yes.

The Master strode into his room, Vanitas in tow, slamming the door shut behind him. He looked wickedly happy.

Terra groaned, and sat up. Had his time finally come?

"Terra." The Master said his name venomously.

"Master." Terra greeted stiffly.

The Master smiled at him. "Vanitas has told me something that I think you may want to hear before I act."

Terra sat up straighter. He shot a look at Vanitas. His helmet was still broken, and he could see his cold golden eyes glaring at him.

"What?" Terra asked finally. "What is it?"

The Master's smile turned into a cold smirk. "Vanitas has informed me of Aqua's… gift in the art of magic." He gestured to the younger boy, who glanced at him.

Terra felt as if he were going to puke. Aqua. Aqua again. Why was it her?

Terra clenched his fists. "What are you going to do?" He growled. "Burn her?"

"If it comes to it." The Master said lazily. "But I'm more interested in the other gift Aqua has. The gift that I'm sure she's shared with you. And the things about this gift you've shared with her. Now," He drawled, "you know the penalty for keeping this a secret, right, nephew? I warned you. Many times. Tell me when you see a Keyblade wielder. And what do you do? You keep one hidden from me for years."

Terra swallowed, and stared at the old Master, who gave him the look of disappointment that he could probably take as the 'goodbye' look. And he knew it well.

Aqua would not be killed. He couldn't say the same for himself, because he had suddenly become very discardable. Master Xehanort had found out both of Aqua's secrets at once.

This meant that he couldn't protect her anymore.

Aqua's hands were going to be stained just as red as his, or more so.

And he was going to be punished severly for treason.

* * *

_O.O Wow reviews. GUYS I BROKE 100! HOLY CRAP!_

_AwesomeAnon- ... You should get an account so I don't have to do this. XD Thanks for all the reviews! I thought I made it obvious it was Xion, and that Roxas was Ven's brother. But I guess it shocked other people. Huh. Actually, you are kind of overlooking the Roxas think. Riku just gets confused when he's talking to Ven, and he wants to say Roxas whenever he talks to him, but he restrains from it. He just kind of got carried away, and said Roxas by mistake._

_This is an evil filler. Grr. Next chapter was fun. :] I liked it. Lots._

_The Divine Wolfie REVIEWED! *Glomp* See what she does to me? She sends me writing like hell when she reviews. When I start to lag, go bother her. A review from the Angel Wolfie will make me go crazy with updates._

_Please review. :] I won't threaten anyone this time, because inevitably one of them is gonna suffer next chapter. It doesn't matter if you review or not (Review anyway! :D), they're going to get hurt._

_Pwease review, faithful readers. Reviews mean I can actually finish this story. I need to finish it before NaNo, or I'll abandon it._

_Next Chapter: Whiplash_


	18. Whiplash

**White Knight: Eighteen :Whiplash**

Lightning had slunk off into her room, probably sulking about not being able to see Serah anymore, and Hope was stoking the fire in her place, talking to Naminé and Ven about Vanille. Riku was idly reading a book of Lightning's, while Xion was…

Sleeping. Or pretending to be asleep.

Naminé had woken up at around noon, without any recollection of her fit. She had been annoyed with all the scratches, and the fact her head was killing her, but other than that she seemed to be very happy to see Ven and Hope.

"What'd she smell like?" Naminé asked at around two, hanging her head off the side of the couch. Her long blonde hair fell from her face, and hung beneath her.

Hope blinked at her, and Ven laughed, making Riku look up from the book. "Huh? Smell?" Hope asked, staring at the young girl.

Naminé gave an exasperated sigh, though she didn't lift her head. "_Yes_, you dummy!" She gasped. "What did she smell like? You had to of noticed. I mean, I've noticed that Mister Ventus smells like leaves. You know, the dry leaves that go crunchy in the Autumn?" She giggled, and looked up at Ven with sparkling eyes.

Riku snorted, while Ven blushed. "And I noticed Miss Aqua smells like the air when it rains. And Xion doesn't smell like anything because she's DARK." Naminé shrugged, and sat up. "And I don't smell like anything because I'm LIGHT. But _she_ smells like flowers. So maybe I smell like flowers too…" She said distantly, laying her head on her pillow.

The three boys stared at her, becoming lost when she mentioned Xion. They glanced at one another and mentally agreed that they wouldn't comment on it.

"Uh… she… smelled like vanilla, I guess…" Hope said quietly.

"Like her name," Naminé chortled.

"Yeah…" Hope said, frowning at the fire. "Like her name…"

Riku sat up, and Naminé shot a glance at him. "And Riku smells like a mix between the forest and the beach." She laughed, sitting up. Riku blinked, and looked at her.

"And Hope, you smell like grass!" She giggled, pointing at him.

He looked at Ven. "Really?" He whispred. Ven snickered.

"And… and…" She yawned, and laid back down. "It stopped snowing."

Both Riku and Ven were on their feet, and to the window before Naminé could bat an eyelash. She was correct. The snow had stopped, and they could see past the porch, into the road. People were coming out of buildings, making it obvious they had been stuck as Riku, Ven, Naminé, and Xion had been. Riku sighed in relief, and Hope slowly walked to Ven's side, staring out the window in awe.

"You guys should go before it starts snowing again." He said, quietly, tapping the window twice, before walking down the hall, to where Ven assumed was Lightning's room.

Lightning appeared, her blue-green gaze fierce. "Alright," She said, "I suggest you carry Naminé. The snow will be much deeper than it was yesterday. Keep in mind when you get back to the Mansion, you might not want to go barging in, guns ablaze. Don't attack the Master, no matter how tempting it is. Hope's finally found new friends…" She gave them a hard stare, that was not hostile, nor encouraging. "I don't want him to loose that comfort again."

Ven felt a pang of pity for his friend, and he looked over at the ashen haired boy, but he was now help Naminé up, onto her unbroken leg. He took a deep breath, and glanced at Riku, who was rousing Xion. She sat up, and blinked.

"Did I fall asleep?" She whispered to Riku. He nodded. "It stopped snowing. We've got to get moving."

Xion agreed, shooting a small glance at Ven, before stumbling to her feet.

Ven walked over to Naminé, who jumped carefully on one foot, while holding onto Hope's arm. Ven carefully picked her up, realizing the girl was much too light for a fourteen year old. He'd have to make her eat more. She couldn't be more than seventy pounds- definitely not the correct weight for a girl her age. She should've been at least ninety five.

She smiled at him, her foggy eyes sparkling with delight. "Mister Ventus, are we going home?"

"Yes, Naminé." He laughed, as Hope pulled her boots onto her legs.

"Are we going to go play a game?"

"Maybe." He said thoughtfully, "if you're good."

"Oh, I will be!" Naminé gasped. "Don't worry! We can play the Red Game!"

Ven grimaced, feeling lightheaded.

"_Red Man!" Ven gasped, pulling Kairi away. She seemed to be frozen in fear. Sora growled, and summoned his Keyblade._

"_I'm gonna kill it for what it did to Kairi."_

"_No you won't." Roxas whispered, pulling him back. "You'll get captured as well. You're too rash. You always go head on into things"_

"_So do you!" Sora whined, as Roxas pulled him back, behind a bush. Kairi was crying into Ven's shirt._

"_Do you think it will go away?" Ven whispered, as the Red Man lurked._

"_No." Sora whispered back. "Not until it's killed someone."_

"_How do they even get in?" Roxas wondered, shrinking back into the bush. "The Master made sure the wall was secure after… you know." He nodded up to the mansion, which was too far to sprint away without being noticed._

"_Ugh. Don't remind us of that." Roxas hissed. "I feel so bad for the Master. His son, his ward. Even you, Kairi. It's like the Dark Region is trying to make him suffer through all the kids he gets attached to."_

"_Maybe we should be more careful then?" Ven asked, staring at the Red Man. He pulled Kairi closer to his chest, and stroked her hair, hoping she'd stop crying so they could figure out a way to get out of the mess._

"_I still think if the three of us attacked at once-"_

"_Sora, I don't like this side of you. Go back to being happy." Roxas whispered._

"_Not when that… that… _bastard_ hurt Kairi. I can't forget that." Sora frowned, and edged forward._

_Ven pulled him back by the collar of his shirt. "Let's wait it out. If he catches us, we can fight. But only if he catches us. Roxas is right. They're targeting us. Like the Master's son, and that girl, and Kairi. They're trying to get to him through us."_

_Sora and Roxas looked at him, and Kairi looked up. They all knew that he was right._

"Let's go." Ven said to Riku, as Hope tugged a dark hat onto the girl's head. It contrasted greatly with her light hair, but she just smiled and kissed Hope's hand in response. He blinked, and blushed.

Xion and Riku were already at the door, and Riku stepped forward, giving Lightning the best smile he could offer.

"Thank you," he said. "So much. I would never have expected you of all people to let us stay here during a blizzard."

Lightning frowned stiffly. "Ven and Naminé have become very close to Hope. It's not hard to notice. As such, I'll allow them to stay here whenever needed. It so happens you were with them at the time. It's not really something you need to thank me over. But fine. You're welcome."

Ven smiled. At least she was making a slight effort to be nice. His eyes widened when he remembered exactly why they were in a rush. "Okay, let's go!" He shouted, shuffling toward the door.

"Oh," He spun around, and Naminé giggled as her hair went flying. "Thank you, Lightning. Really." He grinned, and nodded to Hope, who had begun to stoke the fire again.

"We'll see you later?" He asked, staring at the boy. He nodded, and smiled.

"Okay." He nodded to Riku. He sighed, and opened the door.

They were greeted with a cold blast of air, and stray snow blown from the ground.

* * *

Aqua sat on her bed, scribbling in a notebook she used to use as a journal, but now she just drew things.

She idly thought about her Keyblade, and how dangerous her magic could be for her. The way things were, if the Master found out about it, she would be burned for sure. She sighed, and began to doodle blindly.

Terra. He was so sweet. He just sat by her side all night, waiting for her to awake. What would she do without him? She smiled a little, and thought about his face. His square jaw, and dark cobalt eyes, and the way he always smirked at her when he was being a pervert, because he always was when he was around her, and the way his dark hair had grown since she met him, and how his skin was tan, even though there was rarely sunshine in the winter. She thought about his parents, and how she knew that their deaths had not been an accident, nor her own parents deaths. She thought about Ven's appearance in the Dark Region four years previous, and how hysterical she had been when she thought a poor helpless eleven year old was going to die from being frozen for probably hours.

She thought about the way Terra tried to explain that some people can't be saved, but she didn't listen. She remembered his face when Ven woke up again, regaining his strength. She smiled, and leaned on her hand. She remembered Terra's promise to protect her. His unwavering devotion to the innocents of the Dark Region. She thought of Ven's happiness, and his strange relationship with Naminé, and how he really didn't care that he could actually have a family somewhere, and that he just wanted to live with Terra and Aqua, and she supposed Naminé as well, and forget about the gatherings, and the Master, and just live.

And then she thought about Terra again. He was so… She didn't know how to describe it. He was wonderful. She always felt like she was safe when he was around. Not just because she knew if all else failed, he would be watching her back, but because she always felt strange when he was around she hadn't given it much thought, because this was a regular thing. She had always felt this way, and she realized it was just part of her friendship with Terra. She liked how he knew when she was sad, and how to make her feel better, and she liked how cocky he was, even though it grated her last nerve, and she liked that he really cared about her. Really, truly cared.

She stopped doodling, finally realizing she was doing so, and looked down. Her eyes widened.

She had filled up a whole page. With Terra's name. She squinted, and saw that she had thrown in Ven and Naminé in as well, but it was mostly Terra.

She blushed a little, and continued to stare. What did this mean? Why did she do this?

There was an abrupt pounding on her door. Aqua yelped, and ripped the page from her notebook, crumpling it, and throwing it in the trash. She jumped from the bed, and walked towards the door cautiously. When she opened it, she jumped back, as Ven sped in, setting Naminé on Aerith's bed. He spun around, and stared at her.

Aqua blinked looked at Naminé's disheveled form. She was flushed, slowly healing cuts running all around her face, and her hair had flecks of red in it.

"Ven?" She whispered. "What are you doing here?"

He stared at her. His face was even more flushed than Naminé, making it obvious he had been running. His pants were soaked up to the knee, but he didn't seem to notice. He just stared at Aqua, mouth gaping.

"Ven?" She repeated.

"Aqua!" He shouted, flying forward, and enveloping her in a hug. Aqua's eyes widened. She laughed, and ruffled his hair.

"Ven!" She giggled.

"You're alive!" He shouted into her neck. "You're alive…"

Aqua stared at him. He… had known?

"Ven…"

"Shut up, I'm enjoying the moment." He snapped teasingly.

Aqua giggled, and pushed him back. She glanced at Naminé. "Oh, no." She looked at Ven. "What happened?"

"Fit." Ven shrugged. "I'll tell you about it later. Are you okay?"

"Very nearly healed." She said, walking to Naminé's side. She smiled up at the blue haired girl. "You're not dead!" She gasped as Aqua set her hand on Naminé's forehead.

"No," Aqua giggled. Light engulfed Naminé's body. "I am not."

When the light disappeared, Naminé was healed. She jumped up, and hugged Aqua, who looked just as surprised as she had when Ven hugged her. She jumped off the bed, and dove at Ven, tackling him. They both fell to the ground.

She wrapped her arms firmly around him, and rubbed her cheek against his chest. "Oh, manservant, it's so nice to walk!" She cried gleefully. Aqua giggled.

"You two are so weird." She laughed, waving at them. "But it's nice you have each other."

Both Naminé and Ven looked up at her, and stared. Ven looked confused, while Naminé tilted her head.

"Aqua, have you been hanging around Terra lately?" Naminé asked curiously.

Aqua blinked, and it was her turn to stare. "Yes." She said with a frown. "Why?"

"No reason." Naminé yawned, pulling Ventus to his feet. "Sheesh. Is it nighttime already?" She pulled Ven toward the door. "Come on, let's go on the balcony, manservant!" She sang, dragging the boy out the door.

"Need. Warmth!" The boy shouted, as he was pulled away.

Aqua giggled again, and sat down on her bed. Those two were something else.

* * *

The next day, Aqua went on again to usual business. She woke up, got dressed, said hello to Aerith, brushed her hair, ate breakfast, and began her duties as a maid. The monotony was killing her, and she avoided the Master's room altogether. Aerith insisted on taking over cleaning it, and Aqua was relieved to be free of that burden.

She walked into Terra's room, ready to sit down, and talk to him about whatever, but she found he wasn't there. She checked the bathroom, just incase, and frowned. He was not in the room. She began to panic. What if he had gone on a mission? She… didn't want Terra to ever go back to that. Ever.

She flopped onto his bed, and waited. Maybe he'd walk in, and laugh at her for being worried. She waited patiently. Really, she did. She swallowed, and glanced at the clock. She pulled on of his pillows to her chest, and breathed in the scent of his hair, and begged that he was just eating cake in the kitchen, because she knew he loved to do that.

But if she really thought he was doing those things, she would've gone to check if he was. She knew that he was in trouble there was a pit in her stomach, the eerie feeling of calm before the storm. She shook.

She might've fallen asleep, if Aerith hadn't burst into the room, green eyes wide with fright. Aqua sat up, and stared at her, asking for an explanation with a gape.

"Aqua!" She gasped. "There's… there's a gathering. Right now. We've got to go." She looked at the window nervously, and shrugged.

Aqua grimaced, and sat up. How she hated gatherings! The last one had dealt a nasty blow to her personally, seeing as she had thought Terra was dead. Gatherings just made her sick to her stomach. She gratefully took the boots and coat Aerith had picked up for her, and put them on. They walked silently out of the Mansion, and Aqua braced herself, realizing the gathering was in front of the whole Dark Region.

The snow was deep from the blizzard the day previous, and the air was thick with cold. Aqua began to think about the gathering, and she had to wonder why it was mandatory to be there.

Stupid Xehanort.

They came upon the town too quickly, and they stumbled toward the square where gatherings were usually held. People were gathered, the circle was larger than ever, and Aqua could hear a whip against skin. Aerith bustled toward the crowd, standing on her tip toes so she could see the unlucky soul. She seemed to freeze in her tracks.

"Aqua…" She whispered.

Aqua looked at her, and frowned. She pushed past a few people, until she saw it through an opening.

It was all in slow motion, really. The whip went back, and it came down, smacking across the bare back of her dear friend. A sharp prong at the end of the whip came shortly after, and swiped across the new wound, tearing it open, free to pour blood. Aqua felt sick, and shocked, and totally unprepared for _this._

It was his face that broke her heart. He looked pained, that was insanely obvious, but his eyes were determined, like usual, except now they were watering slightly. His jaw was clenched, and he only let out a whimper as the whip came down onto his back, and cut deeper, and deeper.

Aqua's breath hitched in her throat. The whole square had been cleared of snow, just for this. But the concrete was stained red already, and Terra's back was a bloody mess, even though he had only been whipped a few times. He shook, as another lash came down, and then a tear.

Aqua made a small noise, a single tear running down her cheek, and freezing as it made contact with the air. She shoved her way through the crowd, and the began to move out of her way as she approached. She ran, her boots slamming onto the ground, making enough noise for everyone's attention to focus on her. Except for Terra and the Master's. She watched the Master bring his arm back, whip and hand. Slow motion again. It was stupid, really. But what else could she do? Scream? Cry?

She flung herself in front of the Master, guarding Terra's back from another lash. She threw out her arms, and she saw the Master's eyes flicker with recognition, and a cold smile appear on his face, before the whip had taken refuge onto her cheek.

It stung. Like a mix of a slap in the face, and a hundred bee stings. She cried out, as the prong tore into the tiny gash, and blood spilt from it. She felt the pain sink in, and her eyes watered as she stumbled. Her knees shook, and the cold air burned her open wound. She sunk to her knees, and cupped her cheek.

The world spun, but not enough for her to not see the Master bring back his whip again. It was aimed for her. She shrunk back, and waited for the hit.

Instead, she heard the tear of fabric.

She opened her eyes, still holding her bleeding cheek, and she stared at the boy who had stopped the whip in it's tracks.

The boy's mask reflected her terrified face, as he stared at her. Was he smirking behind it?

Around his arm was the whip. The prong tore into his strange organic suit, made of red and black fibers intertwining. Aqua stared at him, tears freezing on her eyelashes. She didn't know what to do.

He tugged the whip from Xehanort's hands, and tossed it at his feet.

"Don't be stupid and hurt her now." He chuckled, pulling her up roughly. She objected, and ignored the pain in her cheek. Terra was all she needed to think about. Terra. Just Terra. She pulled away from him, but he was much too strong for her to get out of his grasp. He dragged her back, in front of the crowd, giving her a front row seat of Terra's face, and his back. He stared at her, mouth open in a gape. He looked innocently surprised, and a little angry. But it didn't really matter. The whip struck his back, and he let out a cry of pain, and Aqua flung herself forward, only to be restrained.

"Terra!" She shouted, her voice hysterical. "Stop it! Terra!"

She spotted Ven and Naminé, standing by an ashen haired boy, who looked pale at the site of Terra's back being mutilated. Or maybe he was just looking at Aqua, and her unshed tears, and he just thought: That could've been me.

Next to the ashen haired boy was her. The woman Aqua never thought would look at her like that. Her pink hair was floating around her head, blowing a little in the wind. She looked at Aqua with sympathy. As if she hadn't tried to kill her. And Aqua let out a tiny sob, and struggled, as Vanitas pulled her to his chest.

"Shh…" He said in a maliciously soothing voice. "It's okay…"

She pounded on his chest, disgusted with his very being. She shouted Terra's name again, and looked at Ven. He was being restrained by Naminé. He looked angry, but not enough to not be brought to his senses by the insane girl. The pink haired woman- Lightning- also was restraining him. Him, and the ashen haired boy.

Aqua breathed, her cheek stinging harshly, and she would've fell to her knees if Vanitas wasn't holding her so tightly. She cried Terra's name again, but there was no answer. He was staring at her, jaw tightly clenched, and she could see tears in his eyes. She stopped calling his name, but she couldn't stop the desperate stare. She gasped, and tried to make Vanitas let go of her, but no avail. She was stuck, watching Terra suffer these injuries, and she was close to breaking down, and weeping until it stopped, and she could hug him, maybe heal him when the Master was gone.

It stopped. She breathed. Terra began to fall forward, exhausted. Vanitas let go, and Aqua caught him before his face smashed into the concrete.

"Terra?" She whispered. But he was already unconscious.

She felt herself being yanked to her feet, and she gasped, as she came face to face with her almost killer. Yet again.

"Do you never learn?" He was smiling, eyes shining gleefully.

"Why?" She gasped. She shook her head. "He's done nothing to upset you! Why would you-"

"Let's recap, Miss Aqua." He said blatantly. "When you were eleven you gained the ability of magic." Aqua felt her blood run cold. "You showed this ability to my nephew. He did a very good job of teaching you to keep it secret." She shivered, and looked down at Terra. Tears stung her eyes. "When you were thirteen, you gained the ability to wield a Keyblade. You told Terra this as well. And what does he do, Aqua?" He sneered.

Aqua tried to yank her arm back.

"He trains you to use it. Tells you to never tell a soul of it's existence. And you never did. But you were careless, weren't you? Using it where someone could peer through a window and see you pointing it at a certain boy's neck…" He chuckled.

Aqua could only stare. Riku was probably staring as well, contemplating if he should get curtains or not.

"And this is why he is being punished. He was rash, and didn't bother to think, and convinced you to not come to me when you got your Keyblade. The magic is excusable, for the purpose of the Keyblade, but I could not let this go unnoticed." The Master chuckled.

"I…" Aqua choked. "I…"

"Would be happy to go on a mission?" The Master asked, looking at her in a horribly pleasant way. "Why, of course!"

* * *

_You think I had VanAqua in this chapter? *Snort* Wait until the next one. Shit. I can't pass up some good creeper!VanAqua moments._

_So... what do you think? I'm a bit tired right now, so there'll be mistakes. *Shrug*_

_Yeah. That was the whipping. I feel like Aqua's getting OOC. Especially in the next chapter._

_To all you anonymous people- your questions shall be answered eventually. I would've answered right away if you had accounts... Hmph._

_Okay, I need to sleep. *Waves*_

_OH! I BEAT TERRANORT! *Squee* I think Aqua Storm's the only one that knew that._

_REVIEW! Or else... well, we'll just leave it at that. XD_

_Please don't get too scared about the next chapter title, okay? It's really just a quote. From Vanitas. *Wink*_

_Next Chapter: Knife to Wrist_


	19. Knife to Wrist

**White Knight: Nineteen :Knife to Wrist**

Aqua shivered, and stepped away from Vanitas. Aerith had gone out- Aqua didn't know, or really care where, and now she was staring at Vanitas. He was grinning, of course. Aqua didn't like the fact that he had gotten into her room so easily. She wondered if she could take him in a fight. She was a fighter. She could do it.

But Vanitas had an advantage on her. He'd kill in an instant, without hesitation. And… he was really good at it.

She took another step back, and rubbed her cheek absently. She had healed the cut, but she could still feel the sting of the whip.

"I…" She swallowed, imagining Terra's limp, bloody body, and she cringed. "I… I w-won't do it." She said finally.

He smirked at her stutter. "Really?" He asked, his dark eyebrows arching. He set down his shiny, newly fixed helmet on her bedside table, and gave her a twisted half smile, showing off dimples in his cheeks. "Because I would think that someone with so much to lose would do this in a heartbeat."

Her breath hitched in her throat. He was right, of course. The Master could easily be disposing of Ven and Terra right at that moment. And she… really couldn't do anything about it.

"What will you do to _me_ if I don't cooperate?" She asked him, standing straighter. She glared at him, feeling immensely agitated.

"Well, we'll start with your toes, and work our way up to that pretty little face of yours." Vanitas said without the slightest hesitation, or remorse. "After we feed Ventus to a bear, and behead Terra, of course." He winked.

She stared at him. She didn't know how to react. This was too much. Was he lying?

No. He wasn't one to bluff about this type of thing. She felt her throat constrict, and she looked away from Vanitas. He was smirking.

"I win." He yawned, flopping onto her bed. "We're going on a mission tomorrow."

She felt like she could die at that moment. It was horrible, the thought of taking someone's life. How Terra had done it all these years…

Aqua took a tiny breath, and pressed her knuckles to her lips, squeezing them until they turned white. She could feel her throat closing, and tears prickling the corners of her eyes. What had she ever done to deserve this?

"Aww." Vanitas chuckled. "Don't cry, now. You've gotta stay strong for the big day tomorrow. Trust me, it's not so bad when you get past the screaming, and pleading for mercy."

Aqua took a step back, her back bumping against the wall. She slowly slid to her knees, and a few tears sprang from her eyes.

"Oh my God…" She whispered, burying her face in her hands.

She heard the springs in her mattress creak, and she cringed, hearing footsteps approach her. She was roughly yanked to her feet, and pinned against the wall.

Opening her eyes was her first mistake. The golden gaze that bore into her soul was completely heartless, and yet it held the same intensity as a flame. And it burned. Her mind had turned off in the heat, and all efforts to draw her Keyblade were lost in the blaze. She struggled, against his strength, and found that he was much, much stronger than she had anticipated.

Her second mistake was looking away. She couldn't stand the heat any longer, and she snapped her gaze towards the door. Almost immediately after, his hand came up, gloved in his strange suit of fibers that wove into a second skin of sorts. He gripped her chin tightly in his right hand, and harshly twisted it, so she was looking at him in the eyes again.

Her third mistake was not trying to fight.

It was hardly something she would've expected. To be honest, she just didn't understand Vanitas. He seemed to have these moods, where he wanted to help her, or he wanted to maim her. She felt more tears drop over her lashes, and she swallowed, staring into his eyes made of fire.

"Just leave me alone." She hissed, pushing him. She closed her eyes, knowing he had barely budged an inch.

"But what's the point in that?" He asked in his usual cynical voice. "You're so fun to tease. Isn't that what Terra says?" He pressed his left hand harder against her shoulder, and Aqua winced.

"Shut up," Aqua spat, wriggling to get her face out of his grasp.

"Don't be so testy." He feigned mock hurt. "I have feelings, you know."

"You could've fooled me." She said icily, trying to keep her composure. He slid his hand up her shoulder, just at the base of her neck.

"You know that I saved your life, right?" He asked squeezing her shoulder until she yelped. "I could've just let the Master kill you. I didn't have to go tell him at all. I could've sat back, and let you die. You're lucky you grabbed my attention."

Aqua stared at him. She could stand the heat now. She was too angry to really notice it. "I wish you'd let me die, then." She whispered. "I wish that I hadn't _grabbed your attention_. I wouldn't be in this mess if you had just let me die, like you should've. I wouldn't… be…"

"Oh, just shut up." Vanitas groaned. "Seriously, you're such a coward."

"Excuse me?" Aqua near growled, peering into his curiously burning eyes.

"You're a coward." Vanitas repeated. "You'd rather get killed and let all the people who care about you suffer the grief of your death, making them blame themselves for your tragic end, and in due time one of them will snap, and put a knife to wrist. All so you don't have to face the pain of taking one measly life. Of a person who you don't even know. It's selfish." He didn't even smirk as he finish this sentence. This made the lead weight that had dropped into her stomach even heavier.

"No…" She whispered, leaning her head back. "You're wrong."

"I'm not." He said in a leveled tone. No trace of condescension. No trace of… anything. "You and I both know what would happen to your little friends if you had died. I have no doubt in my mind Terra would die not long after you. Maybe Ventus would survive a little longer on Naminé's command, but he'd fall to the same fate. Face it. You're their damned glue. If you die, their worlds fall apart. You end, they end. And that's the end of the story."

"Stop it." She gasped, feeling the tears from earlier come back.

"No." He snapped, slamming her against the wall. Her head smacked against it, and she saw stars for a moment.

"Why did you do it?" Aqua asked when her head stopped spinning. "You hate me. I know that. It's obvious. So why would you save me? Why did you go to Terra, and then to Master Xehanort? What's in it for you?"

"For me?" Vanitas asked, a grin spreading on his face. "Oh, I just want to be the one to kill you. That's really it."

Aqua paled, feeling every bit as dizzy as she had moments before when he slammed her head against the wall. "Th-that's…"

"Horrible, mean, and nasty. I've got it. And I'm fine with it. I like it. You don't. And your light is actually a nice big pest in my life. You're just lucky I didn't kill you when I found out it was you." He shrugged, and Aqua swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat.

"Just leave me alone."

"Are you gonna scream if I don't?"

Aqua didn't answer. His breath was hot on her face, and she suddenly felt very aware of her situation. She was alone, in her room, with a boy who wanted to kill her. And planned to do so. It wasn't looking to great.

She stared at him. "Why haven't you killed me yet, then?" She whispered. "What are you waiting for?"

He grinned. A big, wolfish grin, that made his teeth glisten in the dim lighting from the lamp. "Who said I'm waiting?"

Aqua felt her blood run cold. She had just been on the brink of death the day previous, and the day before that. This would be the third time in three days. And… what could she do?

It was only logical that she screamed.

It was not, however, the best thing to do. Because it was exactly what he had been expecting.

She barely felt it at first. Maybe she didn't even know what it was. But when his tongue slid along the roof of her mouth, she realized right away what was happening. The initial shock kept her still for about ten seconds. The wonder of what to do lasted around fifteen. The debate on whether she liked it or not went on for around five. And then there was just the brain telling her to wait and see what happened. She waited a total of thirty seconds.

A minute in total.

That's how long the kiss lasted.

She rose her left arm, the one that wasn't pinned to the wall, and punched him square in the jaw. Her eyes widened as pain shot up her arm. She took a deep breath, as he stumbled back, and wiped her lips of the imaginary saliva.

She refused to admit that Vanitas was a good kisser.

He finally straightened, not even bothering to nurse his jaw, and smirked. "Don't tell me. That was your first kiss?" He was mocking her again.

"Don't tell me," she said through gritted teeth. "That was yours too?"

He looked at her, looking mildly surprised. "Touché." He grinned.

"Get out." Aqua demanded, pointing at the door. "Get out, right now!"

Vanitas rolled his eyes. "Uh huh. I got it. Don't forget about the mission tomorrow. I'll be back dark and early." He winked, and grabbed his helmet.

"By the way," He said as he stepped toward the door. "You're actually not that bad of a kisser. If I didn't hate you so much, maybe I'd like you." He chuckled, and slipped out of the room, letting the door slam behind him. Aqua stared after him, and she began scrubbing her tongue on her sleeve.

* * *

"I'm back."

Aqua nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the dark silhouette standing over her bed. She stayed frozen, hoping this person would go away, but she was suddenly yanked from her bed, and onto the floor.

Her shriek of fear immediately woke up Aerith, who turned on to light. It was dim, but Aqua could make out Vanitas in the shadows. Dread crept up her spine as he shoved a pair of dark clothes in her face, and left the room with only a small threat.

Aqua felt the need to run, and hide, or maybe throw herself out the window, but she didn't do any of those. Because on some level Vanitas was right. She did hold Ven and Terra together. And that meant she had to stay strong for them.

Aerith looked at her questioningly as she changed into the dark pair of pants and shirt, and Aqua wondered if she'd ever see her again. Terra had gotten hurt many, many times on missions. Who was to say she wouldn't either? She took a deep breath, and thought about who she was going to kill. What if it was a child? No. She couldn't do that to a child.

Or to anyone.

… But Xehanort didn't need to know that, really. She could just go, and… and let Vanitas do all the work, right?

But sitting back and watching is just as bad, if not worse, than doing it yourself.

The masked boy banged on the door, signaling her to hurry, and Aqua shot one last pleading look at Aerith, who began a question, probably "what's wrong?", and she rushed out the door.

Her thoughts were plagued now by screaming children, and blood stained hands. How? How had Terra done it for so many years? She wanted to cry at the thought of him waking every morning and having these feelings, these thoughts straining his every move. And she had blamed him.

Terra. His bloody slab of a back, and determined cobalt eyes haunted her, along with the faces of phantom children that never existed. This was perhaps the most anguish she had felt in her entire life. She could not even fathom what crimes she was about to commit.

Vanitas taught her how to make her Keyblade a rider so she could get over the wall. This could be convenient for a quick get away. Hell, she could even bring Ven!

When in the air, she felt a little more free. But that didn't stop the dread from coming back when they snuck through the trees, completely unnoticed by Light Region guards, and landed in the other side of the wall.

Notice us, she commanded. Please. Notice us!

But they did not. And she kept going, following Vanitas.

It was… everything she had really thought it would be. Greener, nicer, prettier. They snuck into the night, and she was plagued more and more.

Vanitas explained their goal. He motioned to a mansion, and said they were going to enter on one of the top floors, and search for the girl living in it. There was only one, so it wouldn't be too hard. Once she was found, they were to kill her as quietly as possible, and anyone who got in their way.

She had been too dazed to notice Vanitas had dragged her onto his own rider, and they were now entering the building through a window.

It's a girl, she thought. Oh my God, I can't do this.

She stepped forward, as Vanitas began to prowl the halls as if he owned the mansion. She felt timid, and nervous, and guilty, and she just wanted to throw herself out that window, and see if she could out run this awful feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her to get out, because this was wrong.

But she kept forward, and her legs began to guide her.

She felt… suddenly very nostalgic.

She felt like she did when she first met Terra. That little trickle of fear, plus something else. Comfort. What was this place? Why did it make her feel so…

At home.

She shrugged it off, and looked around the hallway.

She realized it then.

Mansion. Light Region.

They were at the Master of the Light Region's mansion.

She shivered, and started forward again. Vanitas had all but disappeared down the hall, and Aqua had begun to let her feet guide her again.

Her feet lead her to a door.

Aqua placed her hand on the doorknob, and she felt nostalgic again. She shook it off, and gripped the little silver thing, hoping no one resided on the other side of the door.

It opened with a tiny click. Aqua stepped inside, and found it dark. The moon illuminated a tiny bed in the corner of the room, a dark blue blanket resting over it, stiff as a board, and dust gathered in the air around it. It looked like it hadn't been slept in in years.

She then noticed the little bench by the window. She smiled, and imagined sitting there, reading. This had collected dust as well, and the moonlight made the particles visible for her to see. She frowned.

Now she moved on. On the bed, was an assortment of things. Stuffed yellow stars with leaves on the end, a moogle, and even a chocobo sat neatly on the pillow, waiting patiently for the day they would be played with.

Her heart broke. This was a child's room.

And the oppressive aura she had been getting just grew stronger. What happened to the little child that lived here? It's obvious no one's touched- let alone lived in- this room for years. Was it the Dark Region fiends like her, Vanitas, and Terra who deprived this room of an owner, or was it just a stroke of bad luck, and illness, maybe?

Aqua stepped forward towards the bed, and grasped the star plushie in her hand. She quickly put it down after she had gotten the urge to sneeze.

She glanced at the bedside table, and noticed a frame. She smiled to herself. The child had some family here. This made her frown.

She picked up the frame, which had collected at least a centimeter of dust, and she blew on it, watching the dust fly. She held her breath, her nose tickling, and she began to wipe away the rest of the dust with her sleeve.

She looked down. At it, and smiled. It was a man, older, maybe late fifties, with black hair and slanted eyes, and scars running along his cheek and right temple. He was smiling a little at the camera, bending down, hand behind the back of a small, small child, who held in it's tiny hands a strange key-like sword, with teeth like an 'E'. The blade was too heavy for the child to carry, and it was much taller than it, so even though it had the sword over it's shoulder, the blade's teeth touched the ground.

Aqua's smile fell. The child's wide grin bore into her memory, and it's wide blue eyes shining with happiness. It wore a thin blue top, that draped to about it's waist, and dark blue shorts. It was wearing a strange little sash, one that Aqua knew well, with something Aqua saw only when she looked at her own chest, or Ven's, or Terra's belt. It was that little insignia that she had had since forever.

Maybe it was a coincidence?

This was not.

Aqua's hands trembled. The child's long blue hair was whipping in whatever wind was there that day.

That's impossible…

She slowly turned, looking at the door, hoping she was wrong about something she just knew was right.

Above the door, in blocky letters, there was a name painted in silver.

The picture slipped from her hands.

_AQUA_

* * *

_Om nom nom! I LOVED writing that VanAqua! I know you're all like: D: EEEWW! GRODY! But I really liked it. I'm a little sad Terra didn't get to steal her first kiss, but, as the Fairy Godmother says, "Yeah, whatevs."_

_Did... anyone see that one coming at the end? I know I barely hinted this one in earlier chapters (Though I've been planning this from the start. See chapter... three, I think, I mention she's adpoted. She doesn't know that though. Or at least she didn't. XD), but I like the way this chapter went. I really am not pleased with the next chapter, because I feel like Aqua's going crazy, with all this memory crap._

_Yeah. I TOLD YOU THERE WAS A HELL OF A LOT OF VANAQUA IN THIS CHAPTER! *Sob* I just couldn't help it! It was so tempting! I mean, right when she screamed, I knew. That was it. It was so perfect._

_No, I planned for them to kiss from the beginning of this chapter. I'm such a freak when it comes to this..._

_Yeah. Vanitas... hates her. And she hates him. But Vantias hates her in a kind of sexual harassment way. Kind of like how Nami felt about Ven in the first chapter. These crazy characters and their ways of showing affection... *Sigh*_

_I keep getting confused between the two anonymous reviewers. XD I thought they were the same person at first, then I was like: No, that's not right. And now I'm confused. :/_

_AwesomeAnon is correct. Damn my grammatical errors. I'm ignoring them though. If I'm not going back to change Hop to Hope, I'm not changing that! XD_

_Kay. Crappy chapter alert: Information Overload_

_Another namedropper. XD_


	20. Information Overload

**White Knight: Twenty :Information Overload**

The frame clattered to the floor, and Aqua tried desperately to gather the pieces of her mind that had just shattered.

"This is a dream…" She whispered to herself. "This isn't real. I… I'm from the Dark Region. This… isn't…"

"_Meet your new parents." A deep, raspy voice whispered into her ear. Her eyes were wide with fright, and she looked up, the right side of her face burning from a phantom scorch that ran from her temple, down her cheek, and twisting down to her chin. She felt tears form in her eyes, and she turned to run, but a gloved hand was gripping her scrawny arm so tightly, it might've snapped under the weight._

_She cried out as he spun her around, and shoved her forward._

"_Don't be so hard on her…" It was a woman's voice. Her long blonde hair framed her face, and her rich brown eyes were filled with worry as she caught Aqua's tiny body before it fell._

Aqua felt the familiar tickle of tears on her cheeks, and she didn't even bother to wipe them. Why had she pushed this memory to the recesses of her mind? Why? Why couldn't she had just remembered that…

"_Master!" She called, tripping over herself as she ran up to him. This memory was fuzzy, much fuzzier than the previous. She was tiny, barely reaching the Master's knees._

_His aged face was formed into a smile. He bent down, and caught her by her underarms, pulling her up to his face._

"_Yes, Aqua?"_

"_Master, I drew you a picture!" She gasped, the light piece of paper fluttering in her tiny hands._

Aqua squeezed the bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb, and took a deep breath. What was this? She thought about how obscured the memories of her parents had become. And yet, these memories had resurfaced, of a time where… where…

How could she admit this to herself? That she was from the Light Region, and that her parents… weren't really her parents.

"_Say it with me. RO-BOT." _

_The older boy stared at his father, and threw his arms around the very small toddler. Her blue hair was at her chin, and it bobbed every time she moved._

"_Is that not the cutest thing you've ever heard?" The boy asked, looking at his father with big eyes._

_His father stared at him, unable to understand his son's excitement._

"_I'm sending her back to her mother."_

"_WHAT? Come on!" The boy held the toddler closer to him. "We can keep her! We've got enough room, and I'm old enough to help out! Can we please keep her?"_

"_She's not a dog." The older man snapped. "And I'd love to see you take care of a two year old girl. You can barely keep your fish alive."_

"_Har har." The boy's voice was distant in this faded memory. Their voices faded out, and back in again. It was clearer now._

"_You can't just send her back to her mom! She doesn't even want her!" The boy whined. His face was slightly clearer now, but still obscured. Aqua could see his big dark eyes, as he scooped her up, and balanced her on his hip._

"_Stop it." The old Master said, his voice growing distant. "I had a enough trouble raising you by myself. And I didn't… right…" His voice faded completely._

Aqua stared at her name on the wall, and sniffled. She was only two… that would've been her earliest memory. She had never really cared for her earlier memories. After she had met Terra, she had forgotten. She didn't want to remember her old life, because she thought she'd never go back to it. That's why… that's why…

"_This is a new me," Six year old Aqua told her reflection. "I can't be so sad about the Master anymore. I have a friend that's going to take care of me, and I don't need you anymore. So just leave me alone. I can't be you. I think I have to live with this new stuff, because I'll never go back home, and I… really did love Mommy and Daddy. They were nice to me. Like the Master was. How my friend is. He's kinda like…"_

The distant face of the Master's son floated to her brain. She felt more tears appear.

_AQUA_

The blocky letters were taunting her.

'Aqua,' they said, 'You forgot about us. You forgot because it was too painful. Why would you want to forget about us? We were your family. Your real family. And you just pushed us away for people that Xehanort chose to look after you. Don't you remember what he did?'

She let out a tiny sob. She didn't want to remember. She sank to her knees. She didn't want to. She didn't. That was the one thing she swore she would forget when she met Terra. She had forgotten so much, and she had been thankful for that. That little girl in the back of her mind was fine with being forgotten. She wanted to live in the happy memories, and shun Terra from her life, and remember all the happy times before…

Before…

_This memory was just as blurry as the others. But the feeling it emitted was much more real. She was walking, her tiny hand in the boy's much larger one. She swung it, humming softly to herself. The boy smiled at her. It was a blurry smile._

_Then, they stopped. Aqua looked up, and grinned. The boy next to her tilted his head, and she began to walk forward. He stiffened suddenly, and yanked her back._

_He then spun around, his hand still wrapped tightly around hers, and he ran. Aqua gasped, and tried to keep in time with his footsteps. He whizzed down the road, looking back a few times before he diverted his course toward a small patch of trees. He slipped into them, and looked up. The obscured silhouette of the mansion towered over them from not too far away. But something caught the boy's attention, and he froze. He lifted his hand, and Aqua jumped as a shining silver Keyblade appeared in a flash of bright light. He pointed it towards the sky, and an oblong sphere of light came shooting from the tip. It was a dull gray, shooting into the sky, past the trees. Aqua stared, mouth gaping, as the sphere shot above the mansion, and exploded._

_Red sparks rained into the sky, the fireworks triggering the dull memory of a festival in the back of her mind. She stared at them, and felt happy. But this didn't last. The boy tugged on her arm, and pushed her onto the ground. She cried out, not used to him being so rough._

_He dug into the undergrowth by a large maple tree, and pushed Aqua toward it. She looked at him, her face betraying the fear that had begun to bubble up in her chest. The boy picked her up, finally realizing she wouldn't move, and placed her down by the bush. He whispered something to her, something that was lost among the blur of the memory, and Aqua blinked, slowly sliding down, and crawling into the undergrowth._

_She poked her head out, and looked at him. It all became clear, now. It was as if all the vagueness of the memory had been washed away in one quick sweep. She had wanted to forget this in particular. The sharpness of the memory._

_The boy's face had broken out in sweat, the sun beaming down on them. He looked fearful, his wide, dark eyes darting behind him every few moments. He had a young face, though he was much older than her, he seemed to be only eleven, or twelve. His face was rounded in youth, but his jaw was squared slightly, as if it were just becoming that way. His dark hair was shorter than his father's, but it was pulled up in a sort of wolf's tail. His olive toned skin was soft to the touch, as he gave her a little pat on the head. _

_He bent down, and gave her a reassuring smile. "Aqua, we're gonna play hide and seek." He whispered to her, pushing her head back into the underbrush. She stared at him, unsure of whether to be excited, or petrified. "You hide in the bush, and don't come out until I come get you, or Master Eraqus does. You hear that? Don't come out at all. Don't even look out. Just hide there so no one sees you. Can you do that?" _

_She gaped at him, and nodded quickly, eager to please him. She tucked her head down, and vanished into the leaves. She settled into the heart of the bush, and balanced herself on a branch. She heard the boy's heavy pants, and she became aware that someone else had entered the patch of forest. She froze, and wrapped her hand tightly around a branch, and closed her eyes. Don't find me, she begged. Don't find me._

_There were a few harsh clangs, and Aqua began to quiver in fear. What was happening?_

"_Why are you doing this?" The boy shouted, followed by another sharp clang._

_There was no answer. Aqua's breathing became rigid, and she heard a sound unlike anything she had ever heard. It was like the sound of her fork against beef. The same strange swish, and shlunk. Except much, much louder._

_She heard a faint cry, and whoosh. And a thump. She saw the leaves around her begin to quiver as she herself trembled._

_She bent forward, and pushed a few leaves away. She stared blankly, unable to process the scene in front of her. She barely had time to. There was a shout of anger, and anguish, not far from where her bush sat. Aqua let the leaves fall back, and she listened to distant shouts, and clangs, and she didn't know what to do._

_She might've been in there for a few minutes, or an hour. The memory didn't tell her this. But the phantom image of the boy's pallid face stuck in her memory as someone called out her name._

She shook her head, and clamped a hand over her mouth to keep bile from rising. She leaned against her old bed, and began to take deep breaths, trying to calm herself. That scared little girl was resurfacing. She looked at the mirror on the wall, and her tear streaked face reflected back, giving her a look that said: _You shouldn't have pushed me back for so long. Now I'm back, and you don't know what to do._

She let out another sob, and threw her face into her hands. She felt like she had cried out all her tears. The past few days had been awful, and they kept getting worse. But this… this was something she could not handle. She wanted to scream, and curl up in a ball on her bed, and forget again.

But she couldn't. She had remembered too much.

She looked into the mirror again.

_Go over the facts, _that little girl told her. _What do you know?_

Aqua took a deep breath. _I am Aqua. I am adopted. I lived in the Light Region. I grew up with a friend. He died. I… I…_

Aqua's head shot up. The Domino Effect. That was what this was. Every time she remembered one thing, another one resurfaced.

_Master Eraqus took me in at two years old. At three years old…_

"_She died?" The boy whispered to his father. "Seriously?"_

_The Master looked grave. "We have another addition, apparently."_

_The boy peeked over at the little bundle in the Master's arms. "Aww," He said, grinning. "Cute! I bet Aqua looked exactly like that!"_

"_She's only her half-sister." The Master murmured, bending down to show the three year old. The blue haired girl tilted her head, and peered at the red-headed baby._

"_She's all squishy looking." Aqua said, poking the child's cheek. She began to grin when the baby wrapped it chubby hand around her finger._

_The Master glared at his son. "She's acting like you."_

_The boy gave a slight shrug. His blurry face hid a grin, or a smirk. "What can I say? I'm an awesome role model!"_

When she was three, her mother died. And her apparent little sister came to live here.

Information overload.

Aqua sat up straight. Her eyes widened a little, as her thoughts became less jumbled.

If she had a little sister, what happened to her?

She blinked, and tried to process this new information. She didn't know what to do. She bit onto her sleeve to keep herself from screaming.

She felt tears tickle her vision, as she thought of the wonderful, and awful possibility. "What if she never left?" She whispered to the girl in the mirror. She seemed to be saddened by the thought as well.

Because, of course, who else could Vanitas be about to kill?

She groaned, and pushed her self up, onto her feet. Her head was becoming clearer, and she felt like she could walk now.

She looked around her old room, just one more time, to make sure she was correct about these memories, and that she wasn't going crazy.

She looked at her name, painted above her door in blocky silver letters.

_AQUA_

She summoned her Keyblade, and walked out the door she had never bothered to close. She probably woke someone up.

She looked around, trying to recall anything she could about the mansion's layout. But nothing came to mind. She knew how to get to her room subconsciously, but finding her younger sister's was another thing coming. She pushed herself forward, the weight of everything in her life settling on her shoulders.

Her parents deaths, the Master taking her to the mansion, meeting Terra, getting Magic, Ven, getting the Keyblade, Terra's job, hiding both secrets at once, Terra going missing, the first attempt at her life, the second attempt, Terra's flogging, her new job, Vanitas's assault, and now, of course, this. The rush of information that made her think twice about everything she's ever know, and everything she thought she was.

This was her life.

She took a deep breath, and realized something.

The Master was much smarter than anyone she had ever known.

He'd have enchantments around the mansion to alert him of intruders.

They'd been here a good fifteen minutes.

Which meant her and Vanitas both were in great trouble if they stuck around much longer.

Aqua broke out into a run, looking at doors as she went. The hallways wasn't too long, and she knew her sister's room was on this floor.

Sister. She had been so young, and yet she still remembered these things.

No. She had forgotten them. That's why they were so much sharper than they should be. She was remembering them again.

She heard a scream. It was very familiar. She nearly laughed. It was because she had a scream very similar to it.

Maybe this was a crazy dream.

But she didn't laugh. Because that scream could only mean one thing.

Vanitas had gotten to his prey.

Aqua quickened her pace, and began to sprint toward where she had heard the scream. Her heart wrenched suddenly. She had to be too late. There's no way she could've survived this long against Vanitas.

Her little sister. Dead.

It made her gag. And she didn't even know her… or know if this was real.

But at the back of her mind, she knew it true. This was real, and it was correct. She wanted to face the facts, and own up to it all, because she really did truly remember now. Maybe not all of it, like how she had ended up in the Dark Region, but she remembered.

Aqua stopped in her tracks, watching Vanitas slide out of a room not far away. She stared, dazed, as a volley of light came flying through the open door. Aqua gaped and stepped forward, but Vantias was already on his feet, blocking the attack.

Aqua already knew who had summoned the volley before she stepped forward to grab Vanitas's arm. His head snapped in her direction, and she could almost see the wide eyes, and gape behind that mask. She hated him. She really did. But she did owe him for saving her life, didn't she? This would make it even ground. She wouldn't owe him any longer, and she'd never have to put up with him hanging it over her head again.

She pulled him back, and began to step towards the opposite end of the hall.

"Let's go!" She hissed, yanking his arm. But it was too late. The Master came out of the room, Keyblade raised, and dove at Vanitas. He was very angry.

They both fell back, Vanitas from being struck, and Aqua from being pulled down with him. She tried to gather her thoughts, but she was still too shattered from the sudden memory charge. She knew she hadn't really forgotten it, but still.

She wondered suddenly, as the Master pointed his blade at her, if she had forgotten these things because she had wanted to. What if… she had put a spell upon herself to make her forget all about the Light Region?

It would explain things. The spell had broken, and therefore here she was. Maybe she had told herself that if she ever managed to come home, she'd remember again?

She stared blankly at her Master's blade, and wondered if her recognized her. Her face was probably shadowed, and it was too dark to really see anything besides the blade that was about to be plunged into her heart.

She closed her eyes, and pushed all her jumbled thoughts back into that little corner of her mind. She gritted her teeth in concentration, and smiled when she heard a clang, and a jump. She opened her eyes, and saw her Master a few feet away, squinting at the barrier she had put up. She glanced at Vanitas, and grimaced, wondering if she should just leave him.

But she still owed him.

She crawled to his side, and placed a hand on his chest. It was enveloped in light, and the boy jumped into life. He pushed her away, probably on instinct, and summoned his blade. The barrier Aqua had put up was gone in the loss of concentration, and the battle began.

Aqua pulled herself to her feet, and looked past her Master, into the dim light that came streaming from the open door. A girl, shorter than both Aqua and Vanitas, with shoulder length red hair, and a shadowed face had stuck her head out the door, staring at the battle unfolding.

Aqua swallowed. Her little sister?

Her half sister, she corrected herself. Just half.

But still, that was enough. Aqua stepped forward, and the girl's head snapped in her direction. She blinked, and stared, and Aqua stared back.

Maybe she was staring because she somehow remembered her. But Aqua was staring because she was staring into the face of Naminé.

* * *

_Did anyone know Kairi was Aqua's sister? That was another thing that been in the making for a while._

_ANYWAY, ANGEL REVIEWED! *Happy dance* She liked the VanAqua (which means there will probably be more of it. XD)._

_Guys, I need a name for the Master's son. XD Yeah, he died, but I have (insert name here) where his name should be in the next chapter, so help. Anyone got a good one? Please? Help? _

_*Slinks off*_

_Next Chapter: The Sound of a Breaking Heart_

_Poor Eraqus. *Sniffle*_

_Yeah. I didn't even bother to give his son a name before I killed him off. I'm awful. _

_So, no. The Master's son was not Terra. Because the Master isn't MX's little brother, and he's not dead. :3_

_Dani must go eat now. She's almost done with Ven's story. She just got to the Keyblade Graveyard, and she's ready to get her ass whooped by the final boss. Whaaaaaat._

_She actually had fun with that stupid ice cream mini-game. The song didn't get as stuck in her head as she thought it would. And it only took five or six tries to get a cool. :D_


	21. The Sound of a Breaking Heart

**White Knight: Twenty One :The Sound of a Breaking Heart**

Aqua took a small step back, and felt the weight of all that she had remembered on her shoulders. Why did her little sister look so much like Naminé? Were they related in some way? Her and Xion, who's pasts were just as mysterious as their personalities, could be some how in relation to herself and her younger sister?

What was this girl's _name_?

She stared at the red-head, who's brow furrowed in confusion, as she stared at Aqua's partially shadowed face, trying to make the connection. The fight around them had been drowned out, as they both stared at each other in thought.

_Remember me? _Her mind asked pleadingly, staring into the girl's wide blue eyes, that mirrored her own almost perfectly. _Please. Remember me._

The girl gave her one last long stare, her eyes betraying the confusion her face had tried to veil. She set her jaw, and scowled at the Water Maiden, and disappeared into her room. Aqua half expected her to come back out with a flame thrower, but no, the girl had gone somewhere else.

A door slammed, and it wasn't her sister's. Aqua looked up, and saw another Keyblade entering the fight. This one was dark, glinting in the sliver of light that came from the open door. It was two against one now.

Vanitas would retreat.

She stepped back into the shadows, and stared at her old Master, hoping that he would acknowledge her presence.

No. She felt her stomach drop. He couldn't see her. Not as a Red Man. Not like this. He'd be heartbroken. He'd wish he'd of buried her when she disappeared. He'd never accept her again.

She felt her lower lip tremble, and she felt the urge to just run, and run, and run, and not care where her feet took her, because anywhere was better than there.

_Don't cry,_ the Aqua she always knew whispered in the back of her mind. _You just have to get out of here. Go find Terra, and maybe you can fix this mess._

How was she going to do that? She took another step back as the new comer took a swipe at her. She watched the dark key swoop down catching her sleeve. It ripped on contact, and her arm stung from a thin cut the blade had given her.

She took another step back, too dazed to raise her blade, which was in her hand. Another swipe. And another. Each time she took another step back, until her attacker finally stepped into the light that emitted from the open door.

Aqua felt herself take another step back, and nearly trip over her feet. This time, she had stepped back in shock.

Her gasp was heard by her Master, and Vanitas, as they both turned their heads to squint in her direction. Vanitas took one look at the Ventus double, and swore.

Aqua's breathing had quickened, and she knew her Master, the Ventus double, and Vanitas probably heard it. Maybe even her sister as well. She was so confused, and this was adding onto her anguish. She leaned against the wall for support, as Vanitas zipped to her side, so quickly that her head spun.

He took her arm, and pulled her back, reaching to cover her mouth. But it was too late.

"Ven!" She shouted, before Vanitas's hand clamped over her lips. She made a muffled objection, and struggled against him.

She looked up, and saw that the Ventus double had stopped to stare at her dark silhouette. She stared at him, unable to place why her friend was holding a Keyblade, and why he was in the Light Region, and why he had attacked her. She screamed into Vanitas's hand, but it turned into a muffled sound of desperation.

Her Master was at Ventus's side, squinting at her. He looked troubled, but not enough as he should've been if he had seen her, which meant she was still safe.

Would he even recognize her? A lone tear slipped from her eye lashes, and she made a small sound, one that could be compared with a dying animal, and submitted to Vanitas, who did not release her in fear that she would shout again.

Ventus finally moved, stepping forward to bring his Keyblade to his side.

"Who are you?" He asked into the darkness. She could still see his face, and her heart leapt in sympathy for him, recognizing the desperation in his features. "How do you know that name?"

She blinked, and shouted into Vanitas's palm. She pulled at his hand, tugging down, so she could speak.

"What do you mea-" She shouted back, before Vanitas covered her mouth again. She elbowed him, gritting her teeth.

Ventus's eyes darted around the darkness, and he stepped forward, eyes locked on their silhouettes. Her Master roughly grabbed him by the shoulder, and pulled him back.

"Roxas, go back to your room." He commanded, in a stubborn voice that almost made her smile. She knew this voice well.

Aqua felt her stomach twist. _Roxas?_ She stared at him, and reached out, unable to bear the confusion anymore.

The Ventus double, now dubbed Roxas, turned to look at his Master, eyebrows furrowed. "Master, you'll be outnumbered." He said, though his voice told Aqua something else.

Master, please.

Her breathing was returning to normal, and when Vanitas felt she was calm, he smacked her over the head. It didn't hurt as much as it warned.

_Don't talk again, or else I'll kill you right here._

She shivered at the message, and didn't move for a few seconds. Vanitas stepped back, and so did she.

Roxas looked at his Master, and slunk back, entering Aqua's sister's room, and shutting the door. They were now in almost total darkness.

Vanitas let go of her, and Aqua yelped when she felt a Keyblade against her arm. The same arm that had been cut earlier. She felt back into the wall, her head smacking against it, making her loose focus as her vision spun.

She felt her Master's Key slam onto the side of her head, sending blood trickling down her temple. She blinked, trying to see past the pain, and darkness, and vertigo.

She awaited another smack to her head, but none came. She sat in the darkness, blinded, and confused, until she heard the clang of Keyblades, and the angry shout of her 'partner'.

She brought herself to her feet, Keyblade in hand, and she found herself thinking about counting the stars.

One, two, three, four, five.

She had never really gotten past thirty, or forty. But it had been fun all the same. Fun with Terra. With her childhood. Her real childhood, with Terra at her side, smiling all the way.

That was it. That was all she needed.

This all may be true. Every last little bit of it might've actually happened, and her Master was probably her Master, and her little sister was probably really her half-sister, but it didn't matter.

She didn't belong there anymore.

She closed her eyes, and healed herself, feeling a small amount of energy come back to her, and rush through her veins. She looked up, and watched as sparks began to fly when Keyblades clashed.

Aqua gripped her Keyblade with a little more determination. She needed to get back to Ven and Terra. And Naminé, of course.

She would love more than anything to escape the torture of the Dark Region. The pain, and the awful gatherings, and the things that went bump in the night, and just the thing as a whole. But she belonged where Terra and Ven were. And they weren't here.

So, no matter what. Her home was with Ven and Terra. She had no place in the Light Region anymore.

Her Master could keep thinking she was dead. It would hurt him less.

She stepped forward, the only light in the hall besides the light that came from her room at the far end, were the sparks that came off her Master's and her accomplice's Keyblades as they slammed against each other. This only happened every so often, because Vanitas's main strategy was to evade, rather than attack.

Aqua let them fight, the darkness completely shading her view of them, except for the occasional spark, and the shuffle of silhouettes. She watched, unsure on whether she should fight along Vanitas, or if she should join her Master and strike the boy down.

Though that would mess up the entire thing, about him not being allowed to see her.

_What if he just doesn't recognize you? _Her inner voice asked. _Really, then it would be fine._

Of course he'd recognize her. She didn't look all that different, albeit she had grown up.

This was frustrating for her. She had never been so hopelessly confused in all her life.

Not even the day…

_Aqua wasn't supposed to be out by herself. It was Kairi's second birthday, and she really shouldn't be out by herself._

Kairi, Aqua thought distantly as she saw the streets of the Light Region flash by her memory. That's her name.

_She wanted to explore. It couldn't do much harm. She always did it with…_

_No. She couldn't think about him. She continued her walk with a frown._

_When she reached the wall, she sat, and leaned up against it, opening the small book she had brought with her. She was only just learning how to read, but she could understand this fine._

"_Once… upon… a time…" Aqua whispered to herself, scanning the page, before flipping to the next._

_She managed to get half-way through the book before her back began to burn. Her fingers tingled, as she sensed the approaching danger, and she quickly jumped to her feet, spinning around to look at the wall._

_She stared at it, her blue eyes wide with wonder, as the stones she had been leaning against glowed. She gasped, and turned to run, as the pieces blew in her direction, one smacking her temple, and fire erupted nearly a second later._

_Her face seared with pain, as she fell forward, almost unconscious already from the stone. The flames licked her cheek, but they were soon gone. She had no time to scream, as she was pulled up, and hauled away._

_She was unconscious before she even reached the wall, which was only a few feat away._

Aqua winced, and rubbed her cheek. She could feel the sting of the flames there, along with the sharp pang of the whip from the day before. She looked into the darkness, and felt compelled to ignore her plan, and rush up to her Master, and beg for him to take her in again. Not just for her, but for him as well. What could that have been like for him? Losing your son, and then finding the girl he had convinced you to take in missing not long later, with an explosion as the only evidence as to where she might be.

It was awful.

But she remembered Terra, and his determination as he was whipped, and Ven, as he hugged her when he found that she was alive, and quite well.

These were the reasons why she was standing still.

Vanitas and her Master continued to fight, and she took a step back as they strayed a little too close to her. She used her ears to pick out any shuffling her way, and she hid in the shadows, hoping, just hoping, that they would get out of here alive, and unknown.

She heard her Master groan, as Vanitas smacked him in the chest, and Aqua wondered if she should heal him. She tilted her head, as the hall suddenly became brighter, and a ball of pure darkness appeared in Vanitas's hand. Aqua stared at it for a few seconds, realizing this was why the room had become brighter.

She saw her Master, though it was still dark enough to shield her face where she was, and he was on the ground, nursing a wound on his side. He looked up at the darkness in the boy's hand, fear evident in his dark eyes.

"_Aqua," her Master's voice rang in her head still, and she saw a small frown on his aging face. "What happened with Cordis … it was not your fault, alright? It was my own fault, for not seeing this coming. You… you have no reason to be upset."_

"_B-but…" Aqua's own voice was tiny, and wavering. It was obvious she had been crying. "But… big brother… is…"_

"_Shh…" Her Master whispered, pulling the weeping girl to his chest. His voice wasn't much better off, but he held his tears. "I know. I know… I… I couldn't get to him…"_

_She shook, the image of Cordis's papery white skin, and dark, unseeing eyes etching into the bowels of her mind, like something was taking it's long, narrow claws, and carving it into the inside of her brain._

_She sobbed into her Master's chest, and listened to the distant pitter-patter of rain against her windows._

_Cordis's dark, unseeing eyes. Gazing forevermore at the deepening blue sky, with rippling white clouds like ocean foam. If that was the last thing he would ever see, maybe his death wasn't as awful as it seemed._

And now, her Master was gazing at that dark sphere of darkness with the same eyes as Aqua's early friend, and she saw the resemblance between father and son. The Master was too surprised to move. And even if he did, Vanitas would just strike him back down.

_Get up. Get up. Get up._

The only difference between her Master and her friend, was that her Master would not get to have the luxury of seeing the sky one last time. All he would see with his dying breath, was the hallow darkness of the corridor, and maybe Vanitas's shining black helmet, as his laugh sang him to sleep.

Aqua stepped forward.

_Get up. Getupgetupgetupgetupgetup, GET UP!_

Aqua reached out, and grabbed Vanitas's arm, and pulling it back. He looked over his shoulder at her and Aqua knew her face was probably being illuminated by the eerie sphere. She tugged on his arm, so it concealed her face, and she pulled, trying to signal that they needed to leave.

He glared at her, ready to yank his arm back.

"Let go," He growled, pushing her back. She gasped as the dark tendrils licked her cheek. They did not, however, hurt. What did he do? The darkness felt… cold.

She fell back, blinking. Her Master looked at her, fear vanished from his eyes. He was squinting through the darkness, as if trying to figure out what he had just seen.

He apparently shrugged it off, as he was now looking at Vanitas again.

Aqua stood, and summoned her Keyblade- which she hadn't realized she had banished- and frowned. She watched Vanitas pull his arm back, and she focused her energy, closing her eyes.

She opened them, and tackled Vanitas, just as the dark sphere slipped from his fingers.

There was a clang of the darkness against the barrier she had created, and the sphere bounced back, hitting the opposite wall.

The barrier disappeared, and darkness fell upon them once more. She could hear her own breathing, and Vanitas's under her, as he tried to figure out what just happened, and she heard the slight shuffle of clothing move. She sat up, and let go of Vanitas, though he had grabbed her wrist not long after. Her eyes darted around the darkness, and she wondered where her Master had gone.

There was a light crackle. Aqua tilted her head, and squinted. A sphere of pure light bounded toward them, about to make contact. Aqua's eyes widened and Vanitas held up his hand, summoning his Keyblade. But it would be too late to deflect it. Aqua had a fleeting thought about trying to take the light, and throw it back, but she didn't want to hurt her Master. She squeezed her eyes shut, as Vanitas pulled her to her feet, and the whoosh of pure light zooming toward them made her stifle a shout.

She awaited the impact, wondering why it was taking so long. She felt the heat of the sphere of light in front of her. She waited a few seconds longer, before cautiously opening an eye. She shut it immediately, the sphere dazzling her eyes that had become accustomed to darkness.

She opened them again, this time noticing that the ball was hovering. She blinked, and looked at Vanitas, who was staring at the ball, most likely in confusion. Aqua felt herself grow confused as well.

She looked back at the ball, and noticed that there was something behind it.

Not something, she corrected herself, staring at the sphere with wonder. Someone.

She locked eyes with her old Master, and felt compelled, as she had earlier, to fall to her knees, and beg for him to pat her head, and hug her, and tell her that she could stay and live in the Light Region, but she stayed still, not even bothering to bat an eyelash as she gazed into the onyx eyes of her old guardian.

He had grown slightly older. Scars on his cheek and forehead from that horrible day years earlier, still completely prominent, his face looked gaunt in the light of the sphere, lips parted in an unmistakable gape. His eyes were narrowed in confusion, as he gazed at his pupil, who had grown so, so much since he had last seen her.

Aqua finally gained the courage to step back. Vanitas's hand was still around her wrist, so he looked at her when she moved. She swallowed, feeling a mass of emotions begin to tangle around each other in her stomach, forming a knot.

Her Master didn't bother to move as she spun around, breaking free of Vanitas's grasp, and ran.

* * *

_I feel as if this chapter is late. XD Huh._

_Yes, I need to finish this before November. Guuuuh._

_*Shrug*_

_Next Chapter: Running Stitch_

_Bet you can't guess how I came up with that name... And no. It doesn't feature a little blue alien. XD_

_Edit: XD I was too tired last night to mention, but Cordis is one of the names my VERY BEST IDOL DIVINE WOLFIEEEE SUGGESTED! *Glomp* No. She probably won't review this chapter. Tis fine, tis fine. She'll read eventually. *Walks off to write 23*_


	22. Running Stitch

**White Knight: Twenty Two :Running Stitch**

She ran to the end of the hallway, and turned, her fingers sliding against the latch of a window. She slid the latch up, and the windows swung open. She flung her Keyblade out, and waited a few seconds, hearing Vanitas's footsteps after her. She felt fresh tears stream down her face, as she squeezed her eyes shut, and jumped.

Even though she knew her rider would catch her fall, she was still surprised when it slid under her, carefully picking her up, and flying away.

It was already dawn.

She let her rider guide her, and she slipped into the woods, unseen.

She really didn't want to face all this things whirling in her head.

She continued onward, even after she crossed the wall. The guards paid no attention to her, after all, a Keyblade rider was nothing to notice. She circled the mansion once. Twice.

Vanitas couldn't be far behind her, could he?

She thought about maybe just going back to her room, and checking in with Aerith.

But then again, the girl was most notably never home at dawn. Aqua wondered if she ever got any sleep- but of course she probably got more than the blue-haired maiden herself. She half wondered where she went when she went out, but she didn't like to get into the flower girl's business.

Could she possibly stand being alone? She passed by her window, and flinched at the thought of Vanitas following her. No. She wouldn't have a repeat of the night previous.

She circled the mansion one more time, the thought of being alone bringing more tears to her eyes. The empty feeling of loneliness weighed down on her, making all thoughts of her Master even more unbearable.

She took a deep breath, and lowered her rider down to Terra's window.

She squinted at it, and smiled a little, noticing it was just a hatch lock, like Master Xehanort's. She grimaced at this particular thought.

She pulled a small dagger out of her boot (she vaguely recalled Vanitas giving this to her _just in case she got caught_. Hell no was she going to stab herself just because she got caught.)

She slid the knife into the crevice of the window, and slid it up. The latch lifted, and she struggled to open the doors.

Eventually she got it, and she hopped onto the sill, dismissing her Keyblade rider, and slipping quietly into her friend's room.

Terra had always been so good at comforting her when she was most distressed. Whenever she was sad, he always had the cure to distract her. If he saw her crying, he'd shout a question that went completely over her head, as it had nothing to do with what they were talking about.

He was like a cure. She smiled sadly, and sat down on his window sill. His back was turned to her.

The bandages wrapped tightly around his torso were stained red. She grimaced, the whipping still fresh in her mind. He was sleeping now, wasn't he? She could just… heal him, and he'd never be the wiser.

She slid off the sill, and rose her hand toward his back, her finger tips barely touching the soft white bandage, before Terra's voice rang into the empty room.

"Don't you dare." His voice was soft, but his words still surprised her. Aqua stepped back.

"Terra?" She whispered. The sun hadn't risen over the mountains yet. It was still dawn.

He didn't turn. Aqua could only suppose it hurt to do so. She stared at his bandage, which desperately needed to be changed, for there were diagonal stains overlapping each other, stark on the pure white fabric.

She slowly brought her arm back, holding her hand over her chest. "I can heal you, you know-"

"No." His voice was quiet, and almost commanding. Aqua stared at him, blinking, before stepping forward.

"Terra, don't be stupid. If I don't take care of your back, it'll probably get infected." She reached out, placing her hand gently on his side. He didn't make a move to suggest he was in pain.

"I know." He said after a few minutes of silence. Aqua frowned, and sat down on the side of the bed.

"Okay, then why-"

"I'm not going to get you into anymore trouble." His voice was still barely over a whisper, but she could hear the sincerity in it. She frowned, her brow furrowing.

"Terra, don't be stupid." The maiden pleaded lifting her hand, only to place it on his shoulder. "I won't get in trouble for healing you. Just let me fix it."

He made a noise, that was something of a snort. "Yeah," He whispered bitterly. "Just like how I thought that the Master wouldn't touch you if I stayed away from you. I know how he thinks, and I know how he'll react to this. Don't heal me."

"Then heal yourself!" Aqua near shouted, pulling her legs up onto the bed, so she was sitting on her heels.

"I did."

Aqua fell silent. She stared at him, looking at the bloody bandage on his back, then back at his head.

"But… it's still bleeding…" She murmured, running her fingers down his back. He flinched.

"I didn't heal it completely," he muttered, as Aqua brought her arm to her side.

"But you healed me fine…" She murmured.

"Yeah, that doesn't really matter. I'm not that great at magic." He still had his back to her, and she wondered why she didn't just walk around to face him. Was she frightened of what he might do? What pain his face might reveal?

"It can't stay like this." Aqua said, shaking her head. "Come on, Terra."

He turned his head a little, and she saw his cobalt eyes, tired, and dull compared to the usual intensity she saw in them.

He sat up, much to her surprise, and slowly turned toward her. He seemed to be taking extra care not to move too much. He faced her, his weary face completely different from the boastfully iridescent one she was so used to seeing. She could see now that the bandage was wrapped all around his torso, ending at this waist. He reached down, and unclipped the safety pin that fastened the bandage in place. He began to unwrap it, but he didn't get very far with out convulsing in pain.

Aqua quickly took the bandage, and unwrapped it, trying to give him a little smile whenever he caught her eye. But he just seemed too tired to notice.

She took a deep breath as she began to peel the bandage off his wound. She didn't want to hurt him, but she knew he would be better off if she just did it quickly. She unwound the bandage, wincing every time he flinched, and she begged she'd never have to see Terra in such a sorry state ever again.

He hadn't even been this way when… when he…

"_Terra…" She whispered, the stillness of his body making her tremble in shock. "Terra?"_

_He didn't answer._

_She whimpered a little, covering her mouth and nose with her hands. "Oh my God…" She whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "Please, Terra. No… no…"_

_She took a deep breath, and shook him. Gently at first, and then a little more violently. "Terra, wake up." She hissed. "Terra. Come on, stop it…"_

_But he still did not answer._

_Her body shook as a sob escaped her lips, and she shook his shoulder lightly, yet desperately. "Terra?" She said quietly. Tears poured from her eyes. "Terra?"_

"Terra, I'm done…" She whispered, folding the bandage, and tossing it in the bin at his bedside. "What do you want me to do now?"

He looked at her. Very slowly, he reached toward his dresser, and opened a drawer. He pulled out a first aid kit, and Aqua raised an eyebrow. Did he want her to bandage him up again? That wouldn't do much good against infection.

He opened the tiny box, and took out a blue cloth that had been folded neatly beneath bandages. Terra took out the bandages as well. He closed the box, and looked up at Aqua, as if questioning if she was ready.

She stared at the cloth, and frowned. He set it down on the bed, and unfolded it. Aqua gasped slightly.

She shook her head, and jumped away from him. "No way!" She gasped, standing up. "No. No!"

"I'm not demanding you do it Aqua," Terra said gently. "It's just that… you're the only one I would trust to do this."

"Why not get a _doctor_? They're trained at this stuff. Better yet! I can get Aerith to do it. Or maybe she can give you a remedy, or something?" Aqua took a step toward the door, but Terra objected.

"I just want this over with, Aqua." He said quietly. "And I don't want to cause Aerith any trouble"

"You wouldn't!" Aqua said shaking her head. "She'd love to help!"

"She loves to help…" Terra muttered. "But I owe her too much. If I let her do this, I'll never be able to repay her."

Aqua stared at him. Her hands were already shaking. "Terra, please…" She whispered.

He looked up at her. "I'm serious." He handed her the needle that had been set neatly, already threaded on the blue cloth. "You're the only person I'd trust to do this."

"But…" Aqua murmured, taking the needle. "Wouldn't this hurt? A lot? With the lashes?"

"Just get the ones that look ready to bleed. The others can heal by themselves."

"Terra…" She whispered, staring at the little silver thing. "This… this isn't…"

Terra sighed, and took her hands. "Look," He said quietly, lifting the hand holding the needle, "I wouldn't ask if I didn't think this was my only choice. This way, he won't have a motive to hurt you."

She stared down at her hands in his, feeling more tears prickle her vision. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Is this sterilized?" She murmured, shifting the needle slightly.

Terra gave something of a nod. "I decided… the night I told you not to heal me if I got hurt… that I might need this…" His voice was barely over a whisper. He held Aqua's hands tightly in his own.

Aqua was crying silently now. She pulled her hands back, and he gave her what he probably meant as an encouraging smile, and he turned slowly.

Aqua now had a full view of his back. There were prominent scars running across its surface, those that were probably the newest were bleeding. She counted three in all that she would probably have to stitch. She reached for the clothe that had held the needle, and rolled it up, handing it to him. He didn't need to be told what it was for. He bit down on it immediately.

She took a deep breath, and slowly reached out, her fingers brushing against the tan skin of his back. The slightly darker skin on his back served as a reminder that this was were he was violently flogged only a day before. She felt the muscles in his back tighten as she ran her fingers up the scars, until she reached his shoulder blades. She traced his spine down, ignoring his shiver, and finally stopped at the wide cut that ran across the middle of his back. She began to chew on her lower lips, and she pinched the skin together, squeezing her eyes shut as a bit of blood seeped from the wound, and onto her finger.

She took a deep breath, and opened her eyes, placing the tip of the needle where the cut started. She squinted, feeling more blood seep onto her fingers. "Terra, do you know how much this is going to hurt?" She whispered finally.

"Yeah," was his quiet reply.

Aqua tried to steady herself as she slid the needle into his skin. She swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat, and silently stitched his skin back together. He made very little noise, but she could hear his teeth grind against the soft fabric. That kind of fabric shouldn't make noise, unless it was being ripped.

Aqua's fingers were now stained red. She tried to focus on the pattern she was making, recalling any sewing she had ever done. Of course she knew how to sew. She stitched up Ven's clothes when they got holes, and she had often made clothes for Terra when he was going through growth spurts. But there was an almighty difference between sewing fabric and sewing flesh.

For one, it was less slippery. Aqua gritted her own teeth in concentration, gripping her friend's skin so it wouldn't slip from her grasp. Was he trying to torture her with this?

"I can't believe you're making me do this…" She hissed, as she finished the first gash, which was now a thin line of interwoven thread, and began to string the needle again.

He had taken the clothe from his mouth. "I couldn't reach it myself," he said honestly. "I was kind of hoping you'd come in so I could ask you to do this for me."

She stared at the back of his head, his though brown spikes still as he sat unmoving. They moved when he moved, and he hurt too much to move. She sighed, and pinched his skin together once more.

"Ow," the older boy muttered, biting down on the cloth again. Aqua began to fade out the fact she was stitching her best friend back together again, like some kind of rag doll, and focused on the pattern again. She listened to the breathing of her friend, which was uneven as he gritted his teeth more in more with each stitch.

_It was his idea, _she reminded herself. _He wanted this._

And yet with every noise of pain he made, she wanted to throw the needle across the room in resignation. Heal him, and hug him, and tell him he was an idiot, because he was, and just talk to him. Actually talk.

Whenwas the last time had she actually just talked to him? Just about whatever?

She sighed, her fingers slipping yet again on his skin. "I didn't kill anyone," She said, finally breaking the silence between them. Terra acknowledged this by turning his head a little, so she could catch a glimpse of his wide eyes. She smiled a little.

"Yeah. We almost got caught, and Vanitas got hurt, so…" Half truth. "I mean, I healed him. I owe him for saving my life, even if he had his own reasons for it…" She frowned, and finished stitching his second gash. "I don't know. I don't think I owe him anymore, though."

"Good," Terra said with a grunt, as he moved a little. "He's a bastard."

Aqua smiled slightly. "I know," she giggled, threading the needle once more. She shrugged. "He's got a weird way of looking at things."

Terra chuckled dryly, and brought the cloth back to his lips. "He's a strange kid." He said, before clamping his jaw down on the cloth. Aqua began to sew the last gash. She was feeling nauseous.

"It's really pretty there…" She said, lacing his skin with thread. "Terra, what if we ran away?"

The cloth fell from Terra's mouth at the suggestion, and Aqua's face colored immediately. She had only been teasing, really…

No she hadn't.

"What do you mean?" The boy croaked, as Aqua stopped threading. He gestured for her to keep going.

Aqua swallowed, trying to rid her cheeks of heat by shaking her head. "I was just wondering." She muttered, brushing some hair out of her face with her arm.

"But what did you mean?" He repeated.

She shrugged, and continued her work. "I… I was just wondering what would happen if we ran away."

"You and me?" He murmured, flinching a little as the needle bound his skin.

And Ventus, she wanted to say. But no. She hadn't meant Ven. She knew Ven would never get out without Naminé throwing a fit. And taking Naminé… as much as Aqua loved the insane girl…

It wasn't a possibility.

"Yeah," she said finally, frowning at the fact that she was leaving Ven out of this. "You and me."

He raised an eyebrow, and Aqua carefully stitched his back. "Do you want to?"

Aqua stopped, and frowned. She looked up at him. "Huh?" She murmured, as she finished off the last stitch, and bit the string, tying it.

She barely had time to put the needle down. Terra turned around, and stared at her, life finally returning to her dark cobalt eyes.

"Do you want to run away with me?"

* * *

_Now do you get it?_

_XD Yeah. LOTS of Teraqua in this chapter. So cute. _

_I don't know how many chapters I have left of this. The next chapter is probably the first of the final problem. I can't esitmate how many more chapters there will be, but know that it'll be done soon._

_Next Chapter: The Real Marionette_

_... Yeah. The end of next chapter reveals a lot. Are you ready for it? :D_


	23. The Real Marionette

**White Knight: Twenty Three :The Real Marionette**

Aqua stared at him for a few moments, unsure on what to do. His face was inches from hers, eyes giving off the determined glow she knew so well, lips set in a dangerous smirk.

She leaned back, the back of her neck beginning to feel hot. "I…" She gasped, blinking. "I… I don't know." She wrapped her arms around her torso, feeling chilled. "I think… I think I'd really like to…" She whispered honestly, making his eyes widen slightly.

"But we couldn't leave Ven." She said steadily, looking up at him. "He'd be distraught if we just left him here."

Terra smiled a little. "Even if we left, Ven wouldn't be far behind us. He's always had a nose for finding us."

"Like when we found him in the woods?" Aqua suggested, grimacing at the memory.

"Exactly," Terra sighed, taking the roll of bandages in his hands, deep in thought.

_It was a cool fall day. Aqua and Terra had gone out early, because they had never managed to fall asleep the night previous, not with the fireworks from the Light Region._

"_I think it's some kind of Harvest Festival…" Aqua said thoughtfully as they gazed at the colorful explosions._

_Now they were just bored. They had stayed up all night in Terra's room, simply talking about… well, the conversations were so useless, they both had trouble remembering exactly what they had been talking about._

_Aqua kicked some leaves out of the path they usually took in the woods, and began to hum. Terra smiled, recognizing the tune._

"_Qué sera sera?" He teased, catching her in a headlock. She yelped as he brought her face to his chest._

"_Terra, that hurts!" She complained, pounding on his chest._

_He chuckled, and set her free. She tumbled to the ground faster than he had expected._

"_Oh," He bent down, and gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Aqua."_

_Aqua scowled and grabbed his hand, pulling him down with her. Terra cried out in surprised, falling beside her. He leg slipped as he tried to regain his footing, and it slammed into a rock, which dropped on contact into an almost hidden pit behind a tree. Terra's eyes widened, and he began to fall back._

"_Terra!" Aqua screamed, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. He reached up, quickly grasping her wrists._

_There was a small moment of breathing, where they stared fearfully at each other, shock making their shaky fingers enclose tighter on what they grasped. _

"_C-can you get up?" Aqua asked, looking around the path for any sign of help. No one was there. Terra shook his head, and gave a one shouldered shrug, as he began to kick the dirt wall of the pit, his feet itching for something to stand on. He dug his boot into the tough earth, and Aqua used all the strength she had to pull in up by his collar. He scrambled out of the pit as fast as he could when his feet could reach the grass, and both teenagers collapsed, panting._

"_Who," Terra growled between pants, "the _hell _dug a damned pit right by a path?"_

"_Dug?" Aqua panted, looking up at him. "Dug?"_

"_Yeah, it's too deep to be natural," Terra coughed, sitting up. The air wasn't as frigid as expected, for it was only the beginning of October, but it was enough to make both faces red. _

_Aqua shivered, and combed some leaves out of her hair. "Why would someone dig a pit?" She asked, her breathing still uneven. Terra shrugged, and glanced at the hole warily._

"_Maybe someone wanted to throw a corpse down there." _

_Aqua's eyes widened, and she slapped his arm. "Terra, don't say stuff like that!"_

_He rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying, why else would someone dig a pit the size of Neptune?"_

_Aqua gave a half hearted shrug, and she cautiously crawled over to the hole. "Maybe it's a gin?" _

_Terra seemed to tuck this idea in his brain, and nodded. "Yeah. Maybe. I've never set traps before, so I dunno."_

"_There's plenty of wild life out here," Aqua accounted. "I can see why someone would set a trap if they're desperate for some food. I'm sure people in the town don't always have the money to support their families."_

"_But why not just set up a snare?" Terra asked quietly examining the hole. "And this thing wasn't exactly hidden."_

_Aqua gave a small shrug. She crawled a little closer to the edge of the hole, and peered over the edge, her fingers tangling in the grass in leaves so she wouldn't fall._

_She blinked, her eyes widening. "Oh my God…" She whispered, feeling her arms quiver. They collapsed under the weight, and Aqua's hands slipped forward._

_She didn't even bother to yelp when Terra caught her around the waist, pulling her to her feet. "Aqua, what the hell?" He dragged her away from the hole, as it seemed her legs had stopped working._

_She stared, gaping at the pit, trembling ever so slightly. Terra frowned, and spun her around, so he could look her directly in the eye. The bright cerulean orbs were shining in shock, they were slightly dazed. Terra blinked, and shook her shoulders slightly._

"_Aqua!" He shouted, making her snap out of the daze. "What the hell just happened?"_

_She stared at him, and suddenly shivered. She looked down, her jaggedly cut bangs falling into her eyes. _

"_Terra…" She whispered. "There's…" She swallowed the bile in her throat. "There's a boy in there!"_

_He stared at her for a moment, his own eyes widening in shock. He looked at the hole sharply, then back at Aqua. He let go of her, and without a second to spare, they both ran to the hole's edge. Aqua had been correct. At the bottom of the pit, which was around ten feet deep, was a small boy, _incased in ice_. Aqua stared at him, her mouth open wide, and she called out to the boy, leaning forward. Terra glanced at her, and wasted no time, jumping into the hole before his friend could object._

_He landed on his feet, and Aqua called out to him, leaning forward a little more._

"_Don't come down!" Terra shouted as she stood up. "I need you to cast a spell to get me back up!"_

_Aqua stared at him, but nodded anyway. She sat back down, and peered closely at her friend and the boy, hoping that the small frozen child was alright._

_Terra knelt onto his knees, almost positive the boy was dead. But he had to check to make sure. He'd feel awful if he was still alive, and he had left him. Terra gently lifted the boy's head, and he noticed his expression._

_The boy's eyes were wide, and his mouth was agape, his expression betraying nothing but fear, and anguish._

_Aqua shouted something, but Terra ignored it, examining the boy's hair. It was blonde. Spikes frozen under a layer of ice, swishing over his face in a strange flip, still ever so spiky._

_The ice bit Terra's bare skin, but he shrugged it off, and examined the dirt splayed across the ice. He had been roughly tossed into a pit. A child._

_Terra suppressed a cry of anger._

_He sighed, and set the boy down, seeing no sign of life whatsoever. The boy was frozen solid. Who could survive that?_

_Terra stood up, and took one last pitying look at the boy, hearing the prayers Aqua was muttering under her breath, and grimaced. What kind of monster would do this to a kid?_

_The boy's eyes trailed after him as he turned._

_Terra spun around. _Did his eyes just move?

_Lo and behold, the boy's eyes were moving behind the layer of ice. Terra stared for a moment, completely shocked, and unprepared for a miracle like this._

"_Aqua, he's alive!" Terra shouted, bending down, and tapping some of the more loosened ice, smiling as some of the boy's skin became exposed to the air._

"We found him, really…" Aqua muttered, tucking some hair behind her ears.

Terra gave a tiny shrug wincing as Aqua began to wrap bandages around his torso. "I think I was meant to almost fall that day. Can you imagine what would've happened if I hadn't?"

Aqua shivered slightly, bandaging the wound. "Don't talk about stuff like that…" She whispered, tucking a pin in the bandages to keep them in place.

"So if we could take Ven with us, would you run away with me?" Terra asked, ignoring her previous statement.

She blinked up at him. "Yes," she said quietly.

He grinned, making her roll her eyes. "Don't be so happy about it," she muttered, swatting him on the arm. "It's not like we can run away anyway."

"You brought it up." He chuckled.

She frowned, and looked down at her fingers, which were stained with his blood. "Did that hurt, Terra?" She asked, staring at her red fingers.

He pursed his lips. "I got over it after a while." He said, giving a tiny shrug. "Whatever."

"Terra…" She sighed, placing her hand on his arm. "You should of let me heal you."

He shook off her hand. "If I had, you'd of been dead. The Master would of never let that slide. You'd get whipped like I did."

Aqua looked down, and sighed. Thoughts of her younger sister and her Master still hung in her brain, and she didn't know what to do. What could she do? Tell Terra?

Yeah, right.

She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. She swayed slowly, her mind fogging. She opened her eyes, ignoring how her eyelids objected to this, feeling heavy over the girl's blue eyes.

Terra was peering at her curiously. His eyes were calm, staring into the swollen, and red, weary blue orbs. Aqua blinked, still swaying.

"What are you looking at?" She whispered, feeling sleep creep into the back of her mind.

"You've been crying…" He whispered back, lifting a finger, and tracing the dark circles under the younger girl's eyes.

Aqua didn't answer, his comment bringing her back to thoughts of her Master, and her sister, and Cordis. She felt her throat begin to close, and she sniffled slightly.

"Aqua?" He whispered, watching her begin to tremble. He pulled his hand back. "Aqua, what is it?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but the only thing that came out was a quiet sob. She shook her head, sleep already enveloping most of her brain, she leaned forward, and pressed her forehead against his chest, familiar tears running down her cheeks.

Terra called out her name again, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

She fell asleep with tears sticking to her cheeks.

* * *

"Xion."

The girl had been sleeping. It was after dawn, and she opened her eyes at the sound of her name. When she saw the figure leaning over her bedside, she opened her mouth to scream.

The boy clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling the sound. He rolled his eyes, and yanked her up, and out of her bed, to her feet.

Xion finally came to her senses, and she looked up at the boy, eyes wide. "V-Vanitas?" She gasped, rubbing her eyes. "What? What's going on?"

"I need you to go inside the witch's head again." He commanded, tossing her roughly away from him. She fell to the floor, her eyes widening. Her black hair was messy, wrapping around her head in sharp spikes, and curls. She shook her head, her mouth opening in shock.

"Oh, please, no…" She whispered, pulling her knees to her chest, and placing her head between them. She breathed deeply. "No… no…"

"Look," Vanitas said, sitting on the girl's bed. "Aqua and I failed our mission. And Xehanort knew we would. That's why he sent her on it. But Kairi's in the way. I think she could stop this thing he's planning if she wanted to." He looked down at the black haired girl. "Which means you have to go inside the witch's head, and look for the girl's weakness. Xehanort will then tend to ending the girl himself."

Xion looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Why do you follow him?" She asked, her voice desperate. "You don't like him."

Vanitas rolled his eyes. "I follow him because he created me. Just like how you follow him because he created you. We can't do anything about it. And I don't give a shit what I do. My existence is meaningless, and so is yours. So shut up, and just do what you're told."

"His scientists created me…" Xion whispered, looking down. "But you. You and Naminé are different. You came from real people. So you're much more real than I am." She rubbed her eyes, and glared up at the dark haired boy.

"You're real people, whether you believe it or not. You weren't created in some lab. You were taken from two people, made of flesh and bone. You're real. I'm just… just…"

"Nothing." Vanitas said with a long yawn. "Which is why you follow orders. Because one slip up…" The boy snapped his fingers, and grinned toothily at her. "Bye bye puppet."

She sniffled again, and looked away. Vanitas shrugged. "So, should I take you to the lab, or are you gonna search the witch's mind?"

Xion glared at the floor. "Wouldn't Naminé die if you killed Kairi?"

Vanitas rolled his eyes again. "_No_," He said, looking very annoyed with the question. "Kairi's conscious would go into Naminé. And since we've always suppressed Naminé's will, Kairi would suffocate inside her mind. Leaving nothing left of her." Vanitas smirked a little.

"My little clone on the other hand, will rot away in my mind, until he goes insane, and his conscious dies." His face betrayed an eerie glow of glee. Bright, sadistic glee.

Xion shivered. "And what about me?" She whispered, staring at her knees. "What happens to me when this is all over?"

"You?" The boy snapped out of his daze. "Oh, you can go do whatever the hell you want. He doesn't care what you do."

Xion's shoulders slumped. Freedom? That was something she had never tasted before. It would be refreshing.

But would it be worth the slaughter? Could she live with herself knowing that her freedom cost the lives of everyone in the Light Region, and probably a good amount of people in the Dark Region?

She felt a few tears escape her eyelashes.

She wasn't strong enough to make the right decision. She never had been.

Xion bit her lip, feeling the ghost of Naminé's will on her subconscious.

No, she told herself. You didn't do that. It was all Xehanort. You just kept her in the dark, so she wouldn't hurt herself. You helped her.

Keep telling yourself that, you marionette.

Puppet. Puppet. Puppet.

* * *

_... Yeah. That's a twist. Xion's not actually Nami's sister. And it gives you a lot of insight into Xion, Nami, and Vanitas's pasts._

_You guys should've known Xion was the puppet. *Smirkles* I mean, she's ALWAYS been a puppet. Even in the game._

_*Pats* Sorry, Xion. You always get the tough breaks._

_Next chapter is basically me getting on a VanAqua hype. Cept no kiss this time. *Shrug* Yeah. It's still all VanAqua though._

_Common question I see... Where the hell is Nami and Ven? This story's supposed to be about them!_

_... *Cough* Yeah, they'll be back. Eventually._

_Next Chapter: Cat and Mouse_


	24. Cat and Mouse

**White Knight: Twenty Four :Cat and Mouse**

It had been around two weeks.

Two incredibly silent weeks.

"Have you been getting a chill lately?" Aqua asked Aerith as they walked from Terra's room. Aerith said he only needed a day or two more until the stitches could be removed, then Aqua could heal the rest.

The older girl looked at her, and blinked. "No," she said, shaking her head. Her braid swung from side to side, making Aqua sigh. "Not really. Why?"

Aqua watched the light streaming in from the hall's window, and she stopped in front of it. She spotted the wall, and the familiar feeling of sadness swept over her. She shrugged. "It just feels… quiet."

Aerith stood next to her, and tilted her head. "Heeello? Isn't that a good thing?" Aerith asked, giggling slightly. "I mean, when was the last time things were quiet?"

Aqua shrugged again. She didn't like this. Not a bit. "It's always calm before the storm…" She whispered, pressing her fingers against the window.

Aerith raised an eyebrow. "Aqua," She said gently. "Can't you just enjoy the silence?"

Aqua stared blankly at the wall, her sister's scowl filling her head, screaming at her. "No," she whispered, spinning around. "No. When things are silent, it means that something's coming. Something bad."

Aerith gazed at the girl, confusion in her big green eyes. "Oh, Aqua…" She sighed as the girl walked away.

Aqua walked along the corridor, slowly making her way to the place she had been ignoring for the past two weeks. She shrugged off the eerie feeling as she approached the door, and she closed her eyes.

_You have to ask, _she told herself. _You need to know._

Aqua reached out, wincing as he fist came in contact with the wooden door. She stepped back, waiting.

The boy answered, blinking his golden eyes tiredly, his black hair even messier than usual, which seemed impossible until you saw it. He squinted at her, confused.

"If it isn't my favorite mouse," Vanitas smirked, opening the door a little wider. Aqua noticed he was shirtless.

It was actually a refreshing change from the usual second skin suit he wore. She just didn't know how to react to it.

"So what do you want, mousey?" He yawned, leaning on the door frame.

"I want to talk to you." Aqua said, folding her arms across her chest. She had spent days debating on whether she should come and ask him about it. Even then it was different in her head. She had expected him to start to strangle her on the spot, really.

"Whoopie," He sighed, stepping away from the door. "Well, come in if you want. I can't promise I won't kill you though." His voice sounded teasing, but Aqua knew he was being serious.

She nervously stepped into the room, jumping when he slammed the door behind her. She looked at him, and noticed he had gotten slightly taller. He was exactly her height now. She swallowed, feeling the heat of his gaze. She really wished he would keep his helmet on.

Aqua's eyes widened as she felt something sharp tear into the flesh of her leg. She cried out, instinctively kicking the… _thing_ that had bitten her. But it took no notice, and continued to chomp, and scratch at her leg.

"Down, Floodie." Vanitas sounded extremely amused. Aqua blinked, grinded her teeth to keep herself from screaming as the creature took one last chunk of flesh out of her leg, before running to Vanitas's side.

Aqua's knees buckled, and she collapsed, her right leg searing in pain. Her blood stained the floor, and her leg was torn open, flesh strewn in strange places. She pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to keep herself from being sick.

As quickly as she could, she healed herself, watching the bloody leg seamlessly pull itself back together.

She looked up, seeing the younger boy's amused grin, and the creature's tongue lolling. The pink flesh of its tongue was stained red, it's teeth tiny, but bared, shining crimson like a hundred little rubies. It's claws were stained just as red, though they didn't glint, as the long claws dripped blood onto the hard wood.

"Aqua, meet Floodie." He was definitely amused. Grinning like a child, Vanitas pat the creature on the head, and ran his finger along the thing's claw. Off came Aqua's blood, still fresh from the wound she had only healed seconds before. Vanitas took his red finger, and opened his mouth, placing it on his tongue. Aqua didn't even bother to hide the revulsion in her features.

"Tastes like you." He said dully.

She wrinkled her nose. "That's gross…" She whispered.

"It does, though." He said with a chuckle, kneeling in front of her. "I'd know, wouldn't I? I'm the only person who's actually tasted you."

"Back. Off." She growled, standing up.

"You came to me," the boy sighed, standing himself. "Not my fault. You should've been prepared."

Aqua rolled her eyes. "Look, I just have a couple questions. I only came to you because…"

"Because you're attracted to me." Vanitas said nonchalantly. Aqua's gaze snapped to his face, and she blushed, from both fury and embarrassment.

"No, I'm not." Aqua said steadily. "You're a horrible person. You're cruel, and mean, and for a lack of better words, pure evil."

"But," the boy tsked, "you're attracted to me. Don't deny it. Opposites attract."

Aqua's eye twitched, and she considered punching him. "Get a grip." She hissed coldly.

"Eh," he shrugged, and pat the creature- Floodie?- on the head. "I never really had one to grab onto in the first place."

"All the more reason to get one." Aqua said, watching the small blue creature twitch, it's red eyes closed as Vanitas began to scratch it behind it's antennas.

"If I told you I was attracted to you, would you admit it?" The boy asked, sitting on his bed.

Aqua was caught slightly by surprise. "Huh?"

The boy rolled his eyes. "I told you. Opposites attract."

"B-but…" Aqua seemed at loss for a moment. "But… you hate me."

He turned to look at her, his golden eyes dancing dangerously behind his dark hair. "I do."

Aqua blinked. "But… how…"

"Don't be stupid, mousey." He chuckled, laying down. He turned his head, and grinned widely at her. "I can hate you and be attracted to you at the same time."

Aqua stared at him, confused, and unsure of what to say. The boy always caught her off guard. His quick tongue, sharp remarks, and the way he was so sure about everything he said.

So sure, it was convincing.

Very convincing.

"You make absolutely no sense." Aqua said finally.

"Maybe not," he smirked. "But I'll get my mousey soon."

"Excuse me?" Aqua asked, her eyes narrowing. She knew her official nickname was now mousey. Why, she had no idea. But it was.

He shrugged, and sat up. "Get a clue, girly."

Aqua frowned, and glared at him. "You're the most arrogant person I've ever met." She huffed, spinning around to leave.

"Yeah huh. Didn't you want to ask me something?" He called, as she opened the door. Aqua blinked. She had forgotten about that. "Mousey can't just leave without giving the cat something to play with, can she?" She spun around, and found him gazing at her innocently. She was surprised at how innocent he could make his cold features become.

"What's wrong with you?" She whispered, staring at the boy, who had to have a screw loose somewhere.

"Me?" The boy sat up. "Everything."

She glowered at him. He was so cryptic, she wanted to smack him. She shut the door, and folded her arms across her chest. "Okay," she said with a frown. "I wanted to ask you about that boy that looked like Ven."

She looked up, searching his face. But he had become oddly expressionless.

"Oh?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Yes," she muttered, feeling awfully conscious of herself.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, mousey." The boy shrugged. "I know as much as you do."

"You're lying." Aqua said boldly, straightening up. "You've been to the Light Regions dozens of times. You're Master Xehanort's lap dog. If anyone knows, it's you."

"Har har," Vanitas frowned, the lap dog remark hitting his ego. "I can't say I know. Give me a break, I don't really give a shit about the kid."

She stared at him, feeling foolish for coming to the dark boy in the first place. She shook her head, and turned, deciding she could ask Terra about it. She hadn't wanted to bother him about it before, because she didn't want to churn unhappy memories of the Light Region… but so be it. Anything was better than talking to Vanitas.

"Wait up, girly," Vanitas whistled, as if calling a dog. Aqua froze at the door, and swore quietly as she did so. She should've just kept walking.

She sighed, and turned around. "What is it, Vanitas?"

He smirked, and slid off the bed. "I have a question of my own."

Sirens immediately wailed in her mind.

_STRANGER DANGER. STRANGER DANGER. STRANGER DANGER. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STRANGER DANGER!_

"Right," Aqua said, folding her arms across her chest. "Because you were so helpful with my question."

"No, you might want to stick around, because I'm going to make you an offer." He walked over to her, and Aqua stepped back, placing her hand on the door knob.

"An offer?" She asked, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, goodie."

He chuckled, and stepped closer to her. "First, get away from the door."

Aqua's eyebrows raised, and her grip tightened on the knob. "Um, no."

Vanitas frowned, and took another step toward her. "I'm being nice about it."

"Hell no." Aqua said, twisting the knob.

The boy sighed, for a moment looking rather annoyed, before he bared his teeth at her in a glistening white grin. Aqua turned, hoping to get out of the room before he could do anything, but it was too late. He already had a firm grip around her upper arm, and one tug sent her stumbling back.

He tossed her carelessly on his bed, and Aqua scrambled to get off.

Vanitas rolled his eyes at her effort. He sat down on the bed, and pinched her arm impatiently.

"Ow!" She yelped, slapping the boy on the back of his head.

"I'm not going to rape you, you stupid mouse." He growled, his eyes narrowing at her. "I'd rather just kill you, really. Rape isn't my style."

"Well that's a relief," she hissed, ready to claw his eyes out. Why had she even come to this boy? Why?

"Unless you'd like me to, since you're so angry." He smirked, edging toward her.

Aqua shuffled away, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. "Can I just leave?" She asked, throwing a desperate glance at the door. "Or are you going to get to the point of this any time soon?"

"In a hurry, mousey?" Vanitas asked, eyebrows raising.

"I just really don't like you."

"Heh," he smiled a little. "Okay, so here's the deal. I'll answer any question you can throw at me, if you promise me something."

Aqua stared at him for a second. "_What_?" She asked incredulously, her head spinning at the thought.

Vanitas rolled his eyes. "I will answer any question you ask me if you promise me something. Got it?"

She glanced toward the door again. "I'm not promising anything." She said, standing up.

"Not even if it involves your friends' lives?" He asked innocently, making her look at him sharply. "See, you want to listen now."

Aqua looked at him warily, and sat down. "What is it?"

He tilted his head at her, golden eyes curiously peering at her face between the pitch black spikes that tried to hide them. He gave her a very large, very feral grin.

He reached toward her, he brushed a piece of light blue hair from her eyes. He leaned forward, his cheek brushing against hers. She frowned at the contact, and tried to edge back as his lips reached her ear.

She stopped, and listened to his request. Her eyes widened slightly.

"W-wha-"

He kept grinning as he pulled back. "Will you?" He asked, eyes shining brightly.

She pressed her knuckles to her mouth. They had turned white.

"You're insane…" She whispered. "Why would you… what's wrong with you?"

He rolled his eyes. "Take a deep breath, girly," he said, his golden eyes melting slightly, making him look younger, more like a fifteen year old boy.

"Why would you want me to do that?" She asked, standing. "Especially… considering…"

"Yeah, I hate you, I know." He yawned, and leaned back. "I just can't see it being anyone else."

Aqua shook her head, reaching up, and grabbing it, digging her nails into her scalp to keep this information in. "You're insane…" She whispered, shaking her head. "You're insane, you're insane, you're insane!"

"Quite possibly," the boy frowned.

She bit her lower lip, a few things running through her mind at once. "What… what do you expect me to say?" She whispered, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Well, actually, I was thinking you'd say yes in a heart beat." He shrugged, and laid down.

"What if I say no?" She asked, standing straighter.

"Then you've damned them all."

"Them?" She asked, her eyes narrowing. "Ven and Terra?"

"No, not just them," Vanitas said, a small smile coming to his lips. "Little Kairi, and your Master, and Roxas, and even that bastard of a clone."

Aqua blinked, and stared at him. "I never mentioned them…" She whispered. "My Master… how did you-"

"You were right to assume I know secrets." Vanitas said. "Now that they're in your reach, do you have the guts to take them?"

Aqua stared at him. She was unsure, of course. She didn't understand. This request made no sense. This didn't seem like something Vanitas would want.

But…

Aqua closed her eyes, and gritted her teeth. "Fine," she said through her teeth. "Fine. I'll do it."

Vanitas tilted his head at her. "Mousey, mousey," he said with a small grin. "In the end, are you a mouse at all?"

* * *

_Okay, before I explain what I know you're all assuming about the request, this chapter was specifically made so I could make Vanitas say Floodie. Dead serious. XD I saw a picture of him with a Flood acting like a dog on DA, and I had to put it in. :D Floodie's name is actually Flood, but Vani was a cute twelve year old, though totally evil. He thought that calling a vicious creature that only really liked him something cute was awesome._

_Okay, the request. I'm going to put my money on that whatever you think it is, it's wrong. I even made it specifically so it would seem like he asked her this one thing, but he actually asked her something completely different._

_So Review what you think he asked her to do. :]_

_Next chapter is a little freaky. Not my best either. But this is to get into some of the last few chapters. Don't worry, there's a good few left. This story probably won't be done by November, because I need to do this article thing on The Tell Tale Heart by Monday, and finish RawkstarVienna's birthday vid (Halloween! WHOOT!)_

_Next chapter: Countdown 259_


	25. Countdown 259

**White Knight: Twenty Five :Countdown 259**

Terra frowned at the piece of cake on his plate. It was definitely weird being back in the kitchen after so long. The girl he knew had a crush on him kept staring at him blankly. He wasn't eating. It would look weird to a person her often watched him eat cake everyday. Used to, at least.

The girl leaned forward, blinking at him innocently. "Excuse me, Master Terra?" She asked, her long caramel colored hair falling into her face. "Is something wrong?"

He jumped, and looked up at the dark haired girl. She was very sweet, and bubbly. She also had a very positive vibe about her. Like Aerith, almost. But this girl seemed a little more up in the clouds than Aerith. "Huh?" He blinked, looking at the girl's dark brown eyes, and shaking his head. "No, I'm fine. Why do you ask, Rinoa?"

The girl gave him a half smile. "You look tired," she smiled, standing straighter. "I guess that's got to be expected though…"

Terra frowned, and scratched the back of his head. "I'm getting better," he said, looking at the girl. She tilted her head at him.

"That's good!" She laughed, turning away. "I'm glad."

Terra nodded, and looked back at the cake. He wasn't very hungry at all.

Suddenly, the door to the kitchen slammed open. Terra looked up, surprised to see Ven stride in, frowning, dragging an oblivious Naminé behind him.

He pulled her to the table, and sat her down on the chair, scowling.

"Er…" Terra set down his fork, and stared at the blond boy. "Ven?"

He held his finger to Terra, still scowling at the blonde girl, who was tilting her head back and forth. He bent down on his knee, and gazed into the girl's foggy eyes, eyebrows knitted together.

"Okay, we're here now," Ven said grabbing the girl's chin as her gaze began to drift off. Terra stared at her. She seemed… much more 'off' than usual. "You're gonna eat, right?"

The girl swayed slightly, and tilted her head at him. Her eyes were half lidded, and a goofy smile appeared on her lips.

"Twenty eight," she said, leaning forward, and kissing Ven's nose. Terra raised an eyebrow.

"Is she high?" He asked, resisting the urge to poke the girl with his fork.

Ven shook his head, and released Naminé's chin. He rubbed his face tiredly, and gazed up at the ceiling, "Oh, Gooood," he moaned, scratching the back of his head. Naminé swayed in her seat.

Ven looked at Terra and sighed exasperatedly. "Ask her a question," Ven said, grabbing a folding chair that was leaning against the wall. He unfolded it, and placed it next to Naminé, sitting down as he did so.

Terra looked at him incredulously. "What kind of question?" He asked, looking at the swaying girl.

"Anything. It doesn't matter." Ven said, folding his arms on the table, and resting his chin on them.

Terra glanced at him, and sighed, turning his gaze to Naminé's swaying figure.

"Naminé, what's your favorite color?" He asked, glaring at Ven, who was already mouthing the girl's answer.

She stared at him, and giggled a little. "Twenty seven," she said, her wide blue eyes looking like puddles, instead of eyes. Faded, and somewhat weary.

Terra stared at the girl. "_What_?" He asked, looking at Ven.

The boy stared at him nonchalantly. "She's been counting down from two hundred fifty nine for the last hour. I can't get her to stop, or to say anything else, or to do anything else. And she hasn't eaten anything today. I'm gonna go into super panic mode if she faints again." He groaned, and buried his face in his arms.

Naminé tilted her head at him, while Terra muttered under his breath, "again?" The girl shuffled to Ven's side, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Twenty six…" She breathed.

Terra felt his mouth drop open. "Okay…" He said slowly. "That's… just… freaky."

Ven gave a slight nod, as Naminé sniffled a little. "Twenty five."

"What does that mean?" Terra asked, shaking his head. "Why is she counting down?"

Ven looked up, his face tired. "I don't know!" He cried, fling his arms into the air. "She's been like this for a whole _hour_!"

Naminé shifted, and sat up straight. "Twenty four…" She muttered.

"What happens when she gets to one?" Terra asked, staring at the younger girl with fascination.

Ven shook his head. "I don't know."

Terra gazed at the insane girl, and frowned deeply. "I guess we'll find out…" He muttered, folding his arms across his chest.

Naminé blinked up at him. "Twenty three." She whispered, shivering.

"She's creeping me out…" Terra muttered, tapping his chin. Ven groaned, and looked at the younger girl.

"She has to eat something…" He whispered.

"Twenty two," Naminé murmured.

Terra pushed his uneaten cake toward Ven, making the boy look at him curiously. He shrugged. "Not hungry," Terra said, gazing at the insane girl. She swayed slightly.

Ven pouted. "Of course when I can't have it…" He muttered under his breath, picking up the fork, and taking a piece of cake.

"Okay, Naminé, open your mouth." Ven said, scowling as she spoke.

"Twenty one."

"Naminé," Ven said sternly.

"Twenty," she whispered, before opening her mouth wide. Ven smiled, and placed the fork in her mouth, watching as she began to chew the cake, and swallow.

"Good, Naminé!" Ven grinned. "That's really good."

She stared at the cake, and frowned. "Nineteen." She said in monotone, opening her mouth for another piece of cake.

Ven obliged, and looked at Terra, who was still freaked out by Naminé's numbers. "Where's Aqua?" He asked, looking around. "I haven't really spoken to her in a while."

Terra shrugged. "I think she's getting changed," he said, watching the blonde warily.

"I thought she wasn't a maid anymore?" Ven said, still not knowing what exactly these 'missions' were.

"She had to get fitted," Terra said, shrugging.

"Fitted?" Ven murmured, feeding Naminé another piece of cake. He was happy she had stopped counting for a little bit.

"Yeah," Terra scoffed slightly, and leaned on his hand. "She wouldn't tell me what it was for."

"Sounds like a dress, or something," Ven murmured, brushing some cake off of Naminé's lips.

"Probably," Terra said quietly. "Xehanort's been really pissy about her. I think if there was an occasion, Aqua would be the first his lapdog would go see."

"Lapdog?" Ven repeated, lost.

"Vanitas," Terra said with a small smirk.

"Oooh!" Ven said, grinning himself. "I get it."

"Actually, Riku's birthday's coming up…" Terra said thoughtfully.

Ven perked up at this news. "No way!" Ven hooted. "Party!"

Terra smiled a little. Riku's birthdays were always something of great celebration. Because the Master had no other reason to gather everyone of great importance in the Dark Region, and so Riku's birthday became his little way of observing his subjects.

"Eighteen…" Naminé murmured, fiddling with the hem of her dress.

"Hey, maybe Naminé can come this time," Ven said thoughtfully. "She's always been too wrapped up with destroying Xion's stuffed animals to go."

"I'm sure you'd like that," Terra said, grinning slyly.

"Huh?" Ven asked, tilting his head.

"Seventeen…"

"Nothing, Ven. Nothing…" The older boy chuckled.

Ven blinked, and scratched the back of his head. "Mmm, kay?"

They heard the muffled sound of a radio being turned on. Ven glanced over, and noticed that Rinoa, and a few other of the kitchen staff were huddled around the radio.

"Sheesh," he muttered. "What's that about?"

"Sixteen,"

"Dunno," Terra said, looking disinterested. "I don't like radios."

"Niether do I," Ven shrugged, "all they do is bring bad news."

"…Fifteen."

"So how _is _your back?" Ven asked, patting Naminé as she began to get restless.

"Better." Terra said, nodding. "Aqua did a good job stitching me back up."

Ven wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, I still can't believe you made her-"

"Fourteen."

"Naminé!" Ven whined, turning to face her. He pouted. "Why do you always cut me off when I'm talking?"

She blinked, and peered up at his face. Ven wondered if the weird count-down had stopped. She stared at him a bit longer, before her face spread into a wide grin. "Thirteen," she said, making Ven sigh.

"Yeah, I've got nothing."

Terra shrugged, and glanced at the younger girl. "Have I said how much she's freaking me out?"

"Yep."

"Well I'm saying it again," Terra said quietly, leaning back. "She really is freaking me out."

"Twelve."

Ven frowned. "Yeah, ditto."

"Eleven."

"Whoa, it's getting faster!" Ven whispered. He looked at Terra. "It wasn't this fast before."

"Ten," Naminé whispered, her hands trembling.

Terra shook his head. "Still freaky."

"Nine."

"Eight?" Ven offered, tilting his head at his friend.

Naminé paused. She was staring at her hands. "Oh, is she done?" Ven whispered, peering into the girl's eyes.

"Eight." She said quietly.

"Jesus…" Ven groaned, slamming his forehead down on the table.

Naminé swallowed, and Terra straightened, finally noticing why her expression was so vacant.

She was scared.

"Seven…" She whispered.

"Ven…" Terra murmured, studying her expression closer.

"Six."

Ven looked up, a little questioningly. "Huh?"

"Five."

"Ven, I don't like this." Terra said, standing up.

"What?" Ven sat up, as Naminé's tiny form began to shake. "What do you-"

"Four," Namine whispered to him.

"… Mean?"

Terra swallowed, and stared at Naminé's face, her foggy eyes wide, and weary. "She's counting down, Ven. From the randomest number. That itself is something freaky."

"Three."

"Two hundred fifty nine…" Ven muttered. "Yeah, it's a pretty weird number to start at."

"Two…" Her lip quivered a little.

"Shit." Terra murmured, launching forward, and grabbing Ven by his collar. The boy yelped as he was pulled to the floor.

The screaming started not long after. The whole kitchen turned, to stare at the girl, who was on her knees, screaming, screaming, and screaming some more. Her eyes were wide, but still completely foggy, staring blankly at the ceiling as she clutched her head in despair.

"What?" Ven shouted. "What?"

Terra shook his head, still confused over the ordeal himself. "She was counting down. It had to lead to something."

"And you figured this?" Ven cried, standing up, and walking over to his friend.

"Naminé, calm down." Ven yelled, trying to hush her screams. She took no notice to him. She kept at the screaming, never stopping for breath.

"Naminé!" Ven shook his head, and bent down, shaking her shoulders a little. She continued. Ven's ears were beginning to hurt from the screams.

She stared at him, tears in her strange foggy eyes, and she dropped.

Ven blinked, catching her before she collapsed on the ground. She was still conscious. Her eyes were darting back and forth, and she was muttering under her breath.

_It's times like these… _Ven thought, grimacing.

"What the hell?" Another person on the Kitchen staff, Sazh, said blankly.

Rinoa tilted her head. "What was she screaming for?" She asked brushing caramel colored strands of hair off her cheeks.

"Ah, shit." Another member swore. "My damned cupcakes burned."

Rinoa giggled a little. "Your cupcakes, Cid?"

Cid slunk back toward the radio. "They're for my wife." He grunted. "It was her birthday yesterday."

"Happy Birthday, Shera." A teenager muttered. Her hair was cropped short, jaggedly cut just above her shoulders.

"Shhh!" A girl yelped, her bright orange kitchen smock setting her apart from the other staff. "They're talking about the bodies they found!"

"Only you…" the short haired brunette said, shaking her head.

"It's for _Aerith_, not me!" The girl yelped, her light brown air bobbing around her head. "Cause we know that Zack…"

"Zack's alive!" Sazh called, twirling a walkie-talkie in his hand. "Yeah, I love this thing. So glad I got one."

"Yippie-friggin'-doo." Cid said. "But what about everyone else?"

Ven held Naminé closer to him, not making any sense of the conversation. Terra had stood up, and walked over to the cluster of kitchen staff.

"What's going on?" He asked, glancing at the radio.

"Bombing." Cid growled, chewing on a piece of wheat that he had gotten God knows where. "In the Light Region. The whole shitting rebel facility was fugging taken out, plus a good fricking chunk of civilians were killed."

Terra's eyes widened, and Ven's jaw dropped. "Wha-wha-whaaaa?" Ven gaped. "What are you talking about?"

"Xehanort sent his weird military type thing to the Light Region to bomb the whole rebel base." The orange smock girl said, brushing some of her strange curls out of her face.

"We've got Yuna." Sazh said with a grin. "Good. I always liked that girl." He went back to the corner of the room to fiddle with the walkie-talkie.

Ven stared at them blankly, trying to get this through his head.

"He bombed the rebels in the Light Region?" Terra asked, gaping. "Why would he do that?"

"Kill, kill, kill!" Naminé suddenly giggled. "Two-five-nine."

The short haired brunette looked at Naminé sharply, eyes wide. She was the only one though.

"Who's Reno?" Sazh asked suddenly, looking up from his walkie-talkie.

"He's a son of a bitch!" Cid shouted.

"Sounds like a nice enough guy…" Sazh muttered. "Oh, we've got an Axel too."

"He's the son of a bitch's brother."

"Sweet!" The orange smock one giggled.

"Come on…" Sazh muttered, tapping the wall in frustration.

"How many casualties?" Terra finally asked, though he was almost positive he knew the answer.

Rinoa looked up, and tilted her head at him. But it was the short haired brunette that answered.

"Two hundered and fifty nine is the final total." She said quietly.

* * *

_Yeah. Even though I don't know if Xertaks is still around, I put in the Cid-cupcakes thing just for you. :] So if you ARE still around, drop a review._

_... Yeah. Anyone get creeped out by this chapter? :3_

_IT'S STILL NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING OVER! What. The. Hell._

_... Dani just has to add more and more shit._

_Next Chapter: Looking Glass_


	26. Looking Glass

**White Knight: Twenty Six :Looking Glass**

Terra sat in the back of Seventh Heaven, a bar that was actually quite nice when you took the time to look at it. It was completely clean, with shining black table tops, and a whole group of people stuffed inside it, staring at Sazh, who was apparently the person who manned the walkie-talkies in the group. His son, Dajh, was playing with the young girl in the corner, who was only six or seven. The boy who was also taking part in watching Dajh was older, being ten.

Riku told Terra that it was probably best he came to the gigantic Rebellion meeting. Basically everyone who took part in the rebellion in the Dark Region was supposed to come, no matter how little job they took part in. Cid thought it was risky to bring all the members in one place, but no one cared. They just wanted to know if the people on the other side were okay.

He had been given a drink by a very large man named Snow. He said it would cool his nerves. Which it did, and Terra was grateful. He had never really been one to get drunk anyway. Riku had seen him drink before first hand, and was impressed by the amount of alcohol it took before the sober Terra cracked. And even then was he only a little tipsy.

A younger girl, who was around Aqua's age, had came up to him, and tilted her head. "Dude, you're new." She said with a big grin. She was wearing a top the bore her midriff, and a bright orange scarf around her neck, clashing with the green in her shirt. She took a sip of his drink, and shrugged.

"It's fine. Don't let anyone scare ya. Actually, that anyone would be me under any other circumstances, but I'm still pretty buzzed about the bombing. Zack's okay, thank Leviathan, but everyone else we managed to relocate, like that pink haired chick, and Walka and Lulu, and… just everyone else we thought was safe. They all could be dead." She shivered, and took another sip of his drink, before handing it back to him. "I'm freaking out. And the Great Ninja Yuffie does _not_ freak out."

Terra stared at her, and tried to offer a small smile. The girl was small, much smaller than Aqua, maybe around Naminé's height, with big gray eyes, that were slanted slightly, much like Master Eraqus's. Actually, when Terra glanced at her, they almost looked related. But that probably wasn't right.

Lightning was pacing, and the small boy next to her, Hope, was hiding his face in his hands. Terra couldn't tell if he was crying or not. But from the way his back was arched, and how still he was, it seemed he was just trying to keep himself from lashing out at someone.

Yuffie stood up, and walked away, toward Cid, who was with his wife. They had brought cupcakes, which had lightened the mood a little.

Another small girl came up to him, this one being slightly taller than Yuffie, with a shock of messy braided hair, tied in ponytails, and beads, and feathers. She gave off that same happy vibe as Yuffie, but she seemed a little more tired than the ninja. She also wore a shirt that bore her midriff, though this one was very colorful.

"Do you have anyone in the Light Region?" She asked, tilting her head at him.

He blinked at her. She seemed much like Yuffie in many ways. Actually, Terra wondered if they were friends, considering how they seemed so much alike.

Terra shook his head. "Not really," he muttered, looking over at Lightning, who yelling at Snow for trying to comfort her. Apparently she didn't need to be comforted, because there was nothing to comfort.

The blonde girl smile slightly. "You're lucky," she said, plopping down next to him exasperatedly. "Most of the people here have somebody in the Light Region who's in the Rebellion." She shrugged, and pointed to Hope and Lightning.

"Just recently her sister got over there, and his really good friend went there a few months ago. She's been a huge help to the cause apparently. Zack says she's an absolute doll." She lowered her voice suddenly. "It makes Hope a little angry. He gets so jealous when he finds out that Vanille has other friends that are guys." She giggled slightly, and Terra managed to smile.

She moved on, and pointed to the short haired brunette from the kitchen. "And her- that's Garnet, by the way. I think she was some kind of princess before she came here with her 'guy friend'," the girl made air quotations, "who's either a pirate, or a thief, or… both. I'm not sure. I think it's romantic, but she denies any feelings for him. She's still pretty worked up over it, because he asked her to stay in the Dark Region while he helped out in the Light. He's been trying to get her over there, but she says she likes to stay close to the root of the problem." The girl frowned slightly, and shrugged. She then pointed to a brunette girl, who looked like she had dyed her hair a few times, who was standing wearily by Snow, dark circles under her eyes.

"That's Jessie. She says that's not her real name, but oh well. She's got a younger sister in the Light Region. And some of her friends were a major part of the Rebellion on the other side." The blonde shrugged, and moved on.

"That's Tidus," she said, gesturing to a tanned blonde boy. "He dated my cousin all last year, until we kicked her ass over that wall. Yeah, she hated us for it, but whatever. She's safe, at least." She seemed to get a bit more happier at this.

She pointed to a tanned woman, leaning over the counter of the bar, smirking at a small orange haired boy who ignored her completely. Her hair was long, and black, and she seemed a little on the edge herself. That didn't stop her from pestering the boy though.

"That's Fang." The blonde girl sighed. "She's a feminist, and a sex addict."

Terra blinked, and looked down at the girl. She giggled, and shrugged. "I don't really get it myself. That's just what she told me."

Terra frowned at the woman, who was still trying to get the young boy to listen to her. "That's… interesting…"

The blonde sighed. "Yeah, she's best friends with Vanille. She's handling it better than Hope, but give it about five more minutes. She's going to crack like a nut, and start beating Snow- who is, by the way, the group punching bag, so if you've got and repressed emotions, hit him. He's too much of a 'hero' to hit back."

It finally sunk in what this girl was saying. What this was about.

Two hundred and fifty nine people just died. Most of them had nothing to do with the rebellion.

That was completely unreal. What kind of world was this?

The blonde sighed, and shrugged. "We're all just waiting for a miracle, I guess." She said, staring at the door to the bar disinterestedly.

Terra wanted to know why Xehanort had done this. It wasn't like the Light and Dark Regions were at war. They just highly disagreed with one another. Was he trying to set off the guns?

Terra stared at the ceiling blankly. Oh, that bastard.

He didn't have much time to mull over this realization, because Riku walked in at that moment. The whole bar ceased their talking, and looked at him. No, they weren't looking at him. They were looking at the person behind him.

Terra jumped to his feet, staring at the spiky haired boy in shock.

"I know you," he blurted, his mind going back to the day he had been captured in the Light Region.

The boy blinked, and looked at him.

"Red Man?" He asked, tilting his head. "Wow. So you did get out. Kairi was freakin' out about it. She was real mad 'cause no one got to thank you." He smiled brightly. "So I guess I'll be the first!" He threw his arms behind his head, and leaned back happily. "Thanks for saving my butt. And Roxas's, too, because he'd of been mush if you hadn't of let us go."

Terra blinked. "It was no problem…" He said quietly. "I'm glad I got the chance to meet your Master. His wisdom cleared my head."

"Yeah, he's like that." The boy said sympathetically. "He could say that pigs fly, and we'd believe him."

Terra chuckled, and turned to Riku. "What's up with you switching it up?" He asked, frowning at his cousin. "I thought we were trying to get people _into _the Light Region?"

Riku raised an eyebrow. "I needed someone who's seen the wreckage first hand. It was either Sora or Roxas, and it couldn't be both, because someone had to watch Kairi."

And it couldn't be Roxas, obviously, so Sora was the only choice. "I see."

The sex addict- Fang- strode up to Sora immediately, and gave him a once over. "You saw the wreckage?" She asked, her eyes narrowed slightly.

Sora stared at her cautiously. "Yeah?"

Fang opened her mouth, but Riku pushed her back. "Sora's going to explain what happened, so don't ask any questions until he's done. Got it?" He shouted around the bar. A few people (mainly Lightning) glared at him impatiently, but no one spoke.

"Um," Sora said, flushing. "Okay. What happened was that the Red Men- that's a Light Region term for Dark Region murderers, just so you know- didn't know exactly where the rebellion base was in the Light Region, but they had a basic idea. So they just blew up that whole section. Except the Rebellion recently relocated their base, because they had gotten so many new members, the old base just kind of didn't fit the meetings. So, most of the people who were in the Rebellion didn't die." There were a few sighs of relief.

"But… um… well, there were still a good few of the members taken out. The rebellion on that side is bigger than the one here. Which means that… actually a lot of the people in that area were part of the rebellion. They just didn't take part. Like me and my two friends- but we just weren't allowed to help until this happened."

Yuffie rose her hand. Sora blinked, and grinned. He turned to Riku. "I feel like a teacher," he whispered rather loudly, making a few people laugh. He turned back around, and nodded to Yuffie.

The girl lowered her hand. "Um, does this mean that the people we know are probably alive, or are they dead?"

Sora winced. "I don't think a lot of the active members lived by the base. But there's a chance some of them could be dead…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't like being the bearer of bad news…" He muttered.

The room was quiet as this news sunk in.

And suddenly, a noise broke the silence.

It was a hiss, and a crackle.

And then there was a voice.

_"Hello?"_ It was meek, and very feminine, though it sounded more like a child than anything.

Sazh scooped his walkie-talkie up, and quickly answered. "Hello? Hello?"

There was a sharp intake of breath from the other side. _"Oh, God…" _The person gasped._ "I thought we were goners for sure!"_

The room began to crowd around Sazh, and whispers filled the air. "Who is it?" Sazh shushed them all.

"We?" Sazh asked, sitting up on the bar. "There's more than you?"

There was some sniffling from the other line of the walkie-talkie. _"Y-yeah…"_ The person said._ "I… I don't know if she's a-alive or not though. I can't really move my legs."_

The whole room hung on the person's words. Sora was staring at the thing blankly, trying to see if he recognized the voice, probably.

"Are they broken?" Sazh asked slowly.

There was a shuffle from the other line. Terra assumed whoever it was, was nodding. _"I t-think so."_

"Okay, what about the other person?" Sazh asked. "Can you see her?"

_"Yeah."_

"Can you drag yourself to her?"

_"N-not with the walkie-talkie."_

Sazh stared at the little black object and closed his eyes. He press it against his forehead, and swore. Distress was flooding from all corners of the room, and people were hopelessly wondering the identity of the mystery voice.

Sazh brought the walkie-talkie back down to his lips. "Okay," he said quietly. "Do you have something to put it in for the time being? A pocket? Does it have a clasp for your belt?"

There was silence for a moment. Static. Then the mystery voice picked up again. _"I don't have any pockets, but it fits in my belt."_

Sazh smiled slightly. "Good, good…" He took a deep breath. "Okay, I want you to crawl to her, okay?"

There was static.

Terra waited for the sound of the mystery voice picking up, but it didn't come. Terra assumed that they had gone to help the girl who was injured, or dead.

The room waited in silence for around three minutes or so.

The static ceased suddenly. _"S-she's alive," _the voice said quietly. _"She's got a r-really big cut on her forehead though. I think something glass hit her when the house collapsed."_

"House?" Sazh muttered under his breath. He quickly clicked the button, and spoke up. "Okay, now, can you tell me your name?"

The mystery voice was silent for a good minute, before it spoke up.

_"Serah."_

There was a loud bang, and Sazh- poor Sazh- was pushed off the bar, and the walkie-talkie was taken from his hands. Sora stared, petrified at the pink haired soldier, and Riku tried to hide a smirk, while Terra patted the young boy's head.

"Serah, this is Lightning." Lightning said, her tone dangerous. There was a sharp squeal from the other side. It was terrified, and ecstatic at the same time.

_"Claire?"_Serah gasped.

"Yeah," Lightning said, throwing a glare at Snow, who was snickering. "It's me. Serah, where are you?"

_"Uhh…"_ The girl stopped, and was silent for a short while. _"I'm somewhere by the old base. V-Vanille and I were in the basement, getting these files, and then… I-I woke up and she was like this, and my legs were broken."_

Hope immediately perked at Vanille's name. Fang did too. The feminist/sex addict was at Lightning's side, staring at the walkie-talkie with wonder.

Lightning sighed, looking a little more relieved than her voice implied. She turned to look at Sora who squeaked, and hid behind Riku.

"You," she nodded to him, "kid. Do you know where the base was?"

Sora swallowed, and straightened up, peeking over Riku's shoulder. He nodded. "Yeah, I was there once or twice."

Lightning snapped her gaze toward Riku. "Both of you are going to go over that wall, and get my sister-"

"And Vanille!" Hope piped up, appearing at Lightning's side.

"-to a hospital. Got it?"

Sora nodded quickly, while Riku raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I've got it." He said, folding his arms across his chest. "Terra, you're coming," Riku said, turning towards the door.

"What?" Terra asked, stepping back. "Why?"

Riku looked at him, and frowned. "Sora can't really carry girls. I've only ever seen him carry Kairi, and that's not really an accomplishment. I know an eleven year old girl who can pick up Kairi."

Sora's face flushed, and he pushed Riku. "Hey, I can so carry girls!" He yelped, thought he was grinning.

Terra saw Lightning and Fang's eyes boring into his face, and he tried to hide his gulp. "Uh, yeah. Okay."

"Can I come?"

The trio blinked, and looked over to where the voice came from. Lightning stared down, looking surprised. The ashen haired boy stepped forward, his eyes wide. "Please? I want to make sure Vanille's okay."

"Sure!" Sora chirped, making Riku elbow him.

Riku frowned, and turned back to Hope. "I think it should be fine, as long as it's okay with Lightning."

Hope spun around, and stared up at Lightning pleadingly. Lightning pursed her lips, and folded her arms across her chest.

"Will he be safe?" She asked, looking between the three boys with narrowed eyes.

"Are you his mom?" Sora asked, tilting his head.

Riku smacked him over the head, and hissed in his ear. "Does she _look _old enough to be his mom, genius?"

Sora laughed uneasily. "Uh… no?"

Lightning glared at him. "I'm his guardian." She said crisply.

"Oh."

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Terra said, glancing at the younger boy. "He can take care of himself, right?"

Hope looked up at him, and smiled gratefully. Lightning's frown did not cease, but she nodded. "Alright. Hope, I expect to hear that Serah's fine, alright?"

"Sure!" Hope beamed, his face transforming.

Riku looked around the bar, and smiled at Aerith, whom had only walked in a few minutes before he had, before nodding to the rest of the group. "Okay. We'll have a list of the dead by the time we get back… tonight, I guess, right? We shouldn't travel in the daylight."

"It's almost dawn," Hope pointed out, staring out the window.

"Then we should get moving, riiiight?" Sora asked, shifting uncomfortably under Lightning's glare.

Riku nodded. He waved at the rebellion, and said a few more reassuring words, before the group made their way out of the bar.

There was still snow on the ground, but patches of green had decided to peek out, making the scene a bit uglier, yet more reassuring that Spring was coming. Terra stood close to Hope, feeling that the boy was just as worthy of his protection as Ven was. He vaguely remembered seeing the two together at his gathering. But it didn't matter.

The sun was rising slowly, and Riku and Sora quickened their paces, Hope and Terra not far behind. They crept by the mansion, and Terra glanced up, frowning when he saw a light on. He squinted, and noted that it was Naminé's room.

She was probably still shaken from earlier that day. He shook his head, and ignored it. Even if Ven or the insane girl saw them, they'd do nothing.

They slipped past the wall guards unnoticed, and came to a stop in front of one of the massive bushes that lined the wall. Terra smiled a little, remembering the last time he had been here. He grimaced, remembering this lead to Aqua almost being killed.

Riku explained the basic barrier to Hope who nodded, eager to see his friend. Terra fiddled with the walkie-talkie in his hands, and wondered if the girls would make it.

Riku took Hope's arm, and explained that they were going over first. So Hope understood what to do. When they disappeared into the underbrush, Sora turned to Terra, and grinned.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors to be next?" He asked, he blue eyes wide and bright in the sliver of light from dawn.

Terra blinked, and was suddenly reminded greatly of Ventus. He felt himself grin, and chuckle. "Sure,"

Sora readied himself, looking as if he were about to go into battle instead of play a silly kid's game. He opened his mouth, surely to shout 'rock', but he was cut off.

"Terra!"

Terra spun around at the familiar voice. He blinked, as a blue blur ran into him. He caught her quickly before she fell.

"Aqua?" He asked, mildly confused.

"What," she breathed, making it obvious she had been running, "are you doing?"

Sora was looking up at him, a smirk on his lips, eyebrows raised in a suggestive way.

"Shut up," Terra mouthed, making the younger boy laugh.

Aqua spun around at the sound, her eyes darting fearfully. Terra caught her shoulders, as she stumbled again.

She gasped, and stepped back, falling into Terra's chest. "Vanitas?" She choked, making Terra freeze, his eyes darting to Sora's face.

And there was Vanitas's almost identical twin. Like Kairi and Naminé's uncanny resemblance, he stood, blinking confusedly, eyes and hair completely different colors, but the features were exactly the same.

Terra mentally slapped himself. How had he not noticed before?

Vanitas was like Sora's evil twin.

* * *

_Tiiiiiired. FYI, I ran out of FF characters at one point... and the result was me sticking in a nice cameo. Can anyone pick it out? I doubt it. I didn't really make it obvious._

_Warning, next chapter is a bit crappy. Blegh._

_Next Chapter: Backs in the Distance (REFERENCE TO FMA! :D) _

_Alternate Title: Serah and the male version of a harem._

_... I just noticed I could pair Serah up with just about ANYONE and it would be cool. Hell, Blue-Chan on youtube paired her up with that creepy old dude from FFXIII! And that video ROCKED. Marry me, he said..._

_Next chapter hints SerahxHope and SerahxRiku. Just to let you know. :]_

_Edit: Looking over it, this chapter sucked. I fixed the mistakes I saw while looking over it again. Baaaah. Fail. I shall update sooner or later. If I don't update tomorrow, Happy Halloween!_


	27. Backs in the Distance

**White Knight: Twenty Seven :Backs in the Distance **

"Vanitas?" Aqua whispered, as Terra pulled her back.

"Who?" Sora asked, tilting his head.

Aqua stared at him, obviously unsure. "Van… itas…" She said quietly.

"Aqua," Terra said slowly, closing his eyes. "This is Sora. Sora, this is my friend Aqua."

"Nice to meetcha!" Sora grinned, holding out his hand. Aqua stared at it, gaping slightly. Her eyes were trained on the hand as if it were about to bite her. Slowly, she reached out, and very cautiously she placed her hand in his.

He shook, while she stared. He frowned a little. "Are you okay?" He asked, leaned to the side, and tilting his head. "You look really pale."

Aqua swallowed and let go of his hand. "No, I'm f-fine."

Sora pursed his lips. "Nuh uh, you're lying." He said shaking his head. "You should just tell us now."

Aqua shivered, and stepped away from the wall. "It's… just… this place, I guess."

"This place?" Sora looked around.

"The wall," she whispered, staring at the underbrush, her eyes wide. Terra peered at them, and noticed her face was stark with fear.

"Aqua?"

"I should go…" She whispered. She frowned and turned away.

"Bye bye, then." Sora waved. "Okay, to the Light Region!"

Aqua spun around, making Sora blink at her. "Huh?"

"The Light Region?" She whispered. Terra raised an eyebrow.

She stepped forward, and stared at the underbrush. "Can… I come?"

Terra's eyes widened. "Aqua, why-"

"Just because." Aqua she murmured, pushing past him to stare at the bush. "Just because…"

When she got close enough to the bush to touch it, she recoiled, as if she had just been bitten by a snake. Her eyes widened, and she spun around, latching herself onto Terra's chest, holding on to him by his criss-crossed suspenders. He stared down at her, gaping at her trembling form.

"Aqua, maybe you should get some rest…" He said gently, running his fingers through her soft blue hair. She whimpered into his chest, and shook her head.

"No…" She whispered. She straightened, and took a deep breath. "No." She shivered, and swallowed. "No, I'm fine. I need to go over."

"Are you sick?" Terra asked, moving his hand, which had been stroking her hair, and placing it over her forehead. "You feel a little warm."

She closed her eyes, her tiny fingers still gripping Terra as if he was her life support. "I'm just cold…" She whispered, shivering again.

Terra raised an eyebrow. He pulled his hand away, and silently slipped off the coat he had been wearing. Aqua stared at him, and objected, but once the heavy overcoat was around her, her shoulders slumped, and she relaxed, finally loosening her grip on Terra's suspenders.

"Get some sleep, Aqua." Terra said quietly, while Sora watched them curiously.

She shook her head once again. Terra was beginning to get agitated. "I… please, Terra." She looked up at him, and frowned. "Please… There's… somebody I need to talk to. I… no, I need to warn someone."

"Warn?" Terra repeated, placing his hands on top of hers. "About what?"

She shook her head. She was close to tears now.

Sora finally stepped in, placing a hand on Aqua's shoulder. "Just let her come," he said, smiling slightly. His brown hair was now more visible, and when Aqua stiffened under his touch, she only had to look up at him to relax.

Terra shifted, not comfortable with the idea of Aqua, who seemed more like the broken little girl he had met years before than ever, go search the Light Region for two maybe survivors of a bombing. How many corpses lie in the rubble?

Terra didn't want to put Aqua through the task of body stacking.

Aqua took a deep breath, and looked back up at Terra. "Please?" She asked, her eyes shining with either tears or just from the rising sun. Terra bit his tongue, overwhelmed by how cute she could make her face become.

"Are you doing that on purpose?" Terra asked, turning away. Aqua blinked up at him. "What am I doing?"

He saw Sora's bright face, a large grin appearing on his already beaming features. "Nothing, Aqua." Terra said, sighing. "Come on, we have to go find Serah and Vanille."

Aqua whispered these names to herself, as Sora began to dig into the underbrush. "I've heard the first one's name before…" She whispered.

"She is Lightning's younger sister." Terra said, watching Sora disappear into the bush.

Terra motioned for Aqua to go, but she just shivered, and clung onto his suspenders more dearly. "Aqua?" He shook her shoulder lightly. "Aqua, you can go back."

"No, I have to go." She whispered. "But why do we have to go through _here_?" She asked, her voice cracking in distress.

Terra frowned. "What's wrong with here?" He asked, glancing at the bush. What was Aqua so afraid of?

She shook her head, and didn't answer. She buried her face in Terra's chest, making the older boy freeze in surprise. What was he supposed to do? He slowly wrapped his arms around her. "Aqua, what is it?" He asked, staring down at her. "Tell me."

She bit her lower lip, and looked up at him. "I…" She choked on a sob, and shook her head.

Terra sighed. "Never mind… here, let's go together. Would you feel better if we did that?" He asked, picking up her arms, and slipping them into the sleeves of his coat. She looked up at him, and nodded furiously. "Please?" She whispered.

Terra gave her a tiny smile, and he took her hand, pulling her quivering form toward the bush. She began to shake uncontrollably as Terra dug into the bush, but eventually Aqua stopped shaking, and they dug their way through the underbrush, breaking free to the other side of the wall.

Aqua blinked, and squeezed Terra's hand tighter as she shuddered. "I don't want to do that again," she murmured. Terra chuckled. "Sorry," he whispered.

Sora whistled, making the duo turn to face him. Riku and Hope watched them curiously, faces becoming illuminated by the rising sun.

"I know you." Hope said softly.

Aqua stared at him, squinting as if trying to recognize him. "I'm sorry…" She said slowly. "Who are you?"

Hope smiled. "You don't know me. Ven and Naminé just talk about you a lot. And I saw you at the gathering…" He trailed off, and rubbed the back of his neck. Terra frowned as the blue haired girl stiffened.

"Aqua…" He said reaching out to her. Her head snapped up suddenly.

"Oh!" She gasped, smiling suddenly. "They've mentioned you! You're… Hope, right?"

Hope smiled again. "Yeah, that's me."

"Oh, I saw you at the gathering too!" She frowned, deep in thought. "You looked angry."

"I was."

"Why?" Aqua asked, tilting her head. "It wasn't your cross to bear."

Hope shrugged. "I don't like to see people getting thrown into things that have nothing to do with them. That's all. Master Xehanort's reason for whipping Terra wasn't right. No one should get whipped for protecting someone they love."

Aqua smiled, and giggled a little. "Oh, I like you." She laughed, ruffling his hair. "I can definitely see why you're so close to Ven and Naminé. They have very similar views."

"Ven does at least," Hope said, sighing. "Naminé doesn't really understand what we're saying most of the time."

"It's part of her 'illness', apparently." Aqua said as Terra thought over Hope's words.

_Protecting someone they love? What is he insinuating? That I love Aqua? No, that's not right. I mean… no, I love her. But… not like that right? Why would I love her like that? She's just my best friend._

"I don't think she's insane…" Hope said quietly. "She's just confused, and something snaps in her mind, making her go crazy sometimes. But most of the time she's just confused, and a little scared."

Aqua nodded. "See," she giggled, "I've always thought the same thing. I guess only the people who really get close to her notice."

Her giggle rung in his ears, echoing. He stared at her, almost shocked.

_So why does she make me feel like this?_

"Oi!" Sora whistled. "Let's get a move on! We've got two helpless girls stuck, and probably dying. Let's go!" And with that, the boy took off toward the gate.

Aqua didn't recall the gate looking like this. She frowned, as they entered the Light Region, and Terra began to fiddle with his walkie-talkie. "Which way?" He asked Sora, who was looking around. The daylight that was slowly showing itself made the Light Region even more magnificent. The snow was bright laid upon the ground, blanketing it softly, and the whole place seemed like a wonderland.

Until the déjà vu hit. Aqua began to shiver as the walked down a road, a few people passing by them, bundled head to toe in winter wear. They turned a corner, and Aqua stopped to stare at the patch of woods that had sprout into a forest, almost. She trembled, and walked toward it, helplessly wanting to be guided by the hand like she was three again.

But she was being guided by the hand. She blinked, and looked down. Firmly around her hand, was the larger tanned one that could only be one person's. Aqua continued to stare, until Terra finally pulled her away from the forest.

"This way," he whispered. "come on, Aqua."

She let him guide her until Hope finally hung back at her side, and the older boy went ahead to use the walkie-talkie to contact the girls they were to save.

"I see…" Aqua said quietly as the younger boy kicked some snow from his path. "Your mother died. But why are you living with Lightning?" Aqua still wondered what the assassin's agenda was, but whatever. If she could take care of such a nice boy like Hope, she probably was like Terra. It was just her job.

Hope shrugged, and looked up at the sky. It was a faint gray, the morning hue upon everyone. "My dad was hysterical after it happened. He sort of just… cracked. I had to take care of both of us. And I wasn't in a much better state than he was. So… finally… Lightning came along, and put him in a home, and took me in. Serah was always really nice, because we're basically the same age."

"She's a year older right?" Aqua asked, intrigued to meet the girl. Maybe she'd actually have a friend her age for once?

Hope nodded. "She's a lot nicer than Light is- not that Light's not nice. It's just... Serah was always the one to walk me into my classes, and make sure I ate. Light was the one that beat up the bullies. They were always picking on me, and then Serah would step in… because she's Lightning's sister, and she's got that protective attitude in her blood, and then I ended up having to fight them to make sure they didn't touch Serah because she can't fight at all." He sighed, and shook his head. "This was before I met Vanille."

"And it all changed after that?" Aqua teased, giving him a smile. Hope snorted. "No," he said quietly. "It was gradual. Every day she'd come up to me with a different little saying. Always something happy. She asked me to start dancing in the middle of the square once." Suddenly, he smiled. "After awhile… the hurting just kind of stopped."

"Is it still there?" Aqua asked curiously.

Hope nodded. "Whenever I'm angry, or sad, it comes back. But Vanille saved me from a lot of depression. Well, I think she and Serah teamed up eventually, and that helped even more, but it was mostly Vanille." He closed his eyes. "I owe her a lot. I can't let anything happen to her now."

Aqua smiled. "You sound kind of like Terra." She said kicking up snow.

Hope raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Aqua nodded, and continued walking. "He's always so determined to protect the people he cares about. He'd do anything for them."

"Like the gathering," he murmured. "I noticed… he could've ratted you out at any time."

"He'd never do it." Aqua said, containing a sigh. "He's too stubborn."

"You jumped in front of the whip," Hope said quietly. "Why?"

Aqua came to a stop, and so did Hope, as he stared back at her. Aqua had never really thought of it. Why _did _she jump in front of the whip?

She looked toward the backs of the three Keyblade Wielders ahead of her and she smiled a little. "I guess… I just wanted to protect him."

Hope grinned at this, and she walked to him. "You two are always watching each others backs, then?"

She smiled. Yes. They were. "Always." Aqua said softly.

"Who's watching Ven's back?" Hope asked, watching as they came to rubble. He frowned, as did Aqua.

"We are." Aqua said. "We always will be. We're friend until the very end."

Hope smiled, seeming to be satisfied with the answer. His smile ceased as the began to walk by corpses.

"Jeez…" He murmured, as Terra fell back, just so he could stick close to Aqua. He was right to, for she was now feeling queasy. Hope asked for the walkie-talkie so he could talk to Serah. This was a distraction from the charred flesh around them, and the scent of roasting meat in the air.

"Don't worry," Hope said, swallowing. "We're gonna find you, Serah. I promise."

_"I don't doubt it."_ The girl still sounded like a meek child on the other line, but there was definitely a hint of strong trust in her voice. Aqua buried her face in Terra's shoulder.

"He's a monster…" She whispered.

"Hope?" Terra asked, eyebrows knitting.

Aqua rolled her eyes. "Xehanort." She said quietly.

"I'm gonna start calling out," Hope said. "Call back if you can hear me."

_"Okay."_

Hope let his arm go limp at his side as he took a deep breath. "Serah!" He called, his voice echoing in the wasteland of charred corpses.

There was a few seconds delay.

"…ope…"

"THAT WAY!" Sora cried, beaming in the direction of the call. He set off like a bullet, but Hope wasn't far behind, calling out Serah and Vanille's names every few minutes.

Until…

"Hope!" Serah saw him first. Her face was glowing with happiness, and relief. She was trying to sit up, but Riku was already beside her, picking her up.

"Okay, no time to lose with Lightning's gunblade to our heads, right?" He asked with a chuckle. Serah blinked, and smiled shyly at him.

Hope was already at Vanille's side, shaking her shoulder. "Vanille?" He whispered eyes wide. Aqua tilted her head and walked over. She stopped, realizing how bad the girl looked at this point.

There was a cut on her forehead that ran from her temple, down her brow, and curving down over her eye. Her whole body seemed awkwardly placed, as if someone had been playing with a doll, and tangled its legs. Her stomach, which was bare, had an assortment of scratches, deeper than those on the rest of her body. There was a shard of shrapnel stuck in her shoulder as well.

Terra carefully stepped over Hope, and picked the girl up. Aqua noticed that she was probably older than Hope, though she was smaller than Aqua herself.

Sora had made it his job to sift through any rubble they found on their way out of the wasteland for survivors. They found none.

Until about half-way through, when Aqua began to hear a small whimpering. She stopped in her tracks. She listened closely.

"Aqua?" Terra called back. But she was already digging into the debris of a fallen house.

Sora jumped in next to her, eager to find some kind of life beneath the surface of the debris. Sifting through sheetrock, and wood, the remnants of a house that once stood charred, and turning to ash in their hands.

And then there was a shock of blue-gray hair.

"Aqua, you have a kid?" Sora gasped, as they pulled the small boy free. Aqua glared at him, and held the boy closer to her. "He doesn't look like me. Now stop it."

"No, he seriously does!"

"Let's go," Aqua sighed, walking past the boy. Serah watched the blue haired boy intently. "He's so cute…" She whispered.

Terra hung back, and smiled at her. "He is cute," he whispered to her. She shrugged.

"I dunno, Aqua." He said with a chuckle. "Maybe he really is your son, and you just don't want to tell anyone."

She glared at him. "Oh, shut up." She muttered, blushing at the thought of being a parent.

* * *

_I put off a day of NaNo. JUST so I could finish the next chapter for you guys. Tell me you love me. Come on. :D_

_Personally, I HATE this chapter. The end was rushed, and it was really sloppy. But whatever, the next one is better. But seriously guys, don't expect updates to be anywhere NEAR as quick as usual. I'm risking losing NaNo to keep this story running._

_For anyone who does NaNo, my name is DaniChanBunnyNoise. :3 Come find me if you want._

_Next Chapter: To Be Pardoned_

_More Teraqua to come. Fuzzy feelings are starting to be acknowledged._

_No kiss though. :/ Not yet._


	28. To Be Pardoned

**White Knight: Twenty Eight :To Be Pardoned**

Aqua set the boy down in a cot, and looked around. There weren't many healers around. And the hospital was so makeshift…

She turned to the boy, who was already unconscious, and sighed. Oh well. Someone could find out his name later.

Riku was talking to Sora, while Terra tried to keep Hope distracted as a healer tended to the piece of shrapnel stuck in Vanille's shoulder. Aqua smiled at Serah, who was just about to be knocked out so her legs could be fixed.

Finally, Aqua wandered to Vanille's side, staring at her blankly as the piece of shrapnel was dug out of her shoulder. The healer who was tending her blinked, and looked up.

Aqua bit her lip, and nodded to Vanille. "Can I help?" She asked, her voice feeling worn, and scratchy in her throat.

The healer tilted her head. "Sure, if you want to." She said gently, her demeanor reminding Aqua much of Aerith. The healer took Aqua's hand, and placed it over the shoulder wound. She smiled kindly.

"Just feel the energy that's stuck in one place, and release it. Alright?" The healer asked, as Aqua pressed her hand against the wound. She blinked slowly.

"Energy?" She murmured, trying to visualize the energy stuck in a knot at Vanille's shoulder releasing. She had never tried healing like this before. It was actually relaxing.

But she still had no clue why she had to imagine releasing energy to heal Vanille's wound.

The wound began to close, and seamlessly, it pulled itself together. Aqua released her hand, and then worked on Vanille's forehead, smiling as the gash closed.

The healers stared at her, surprise in her eyes. "Oh!" She gasped. "Oh, wow! You're phenomenal!"

Aqua stared at the healer, and then blushed. She shook her head. "No," she said quietly. "I'm just a rookie. I've never been taught any magic, so I just taught myself what I could."

The healer shook her head. "Oh, no!" She said, "you've got extraordinary power. You see, I'm not a real healer. I'm a Summoner. That makes it harder for me to do regular healing. But I manage to get through it, usually…" The girl sighed. Aqua realized this was why she had said to visualize energy releasing. It must have been how she learned to heal. "But it's been so hectic lately, with the bombing, and the regular hospital going down with most of our healers…"

"Hospital?" Aqua gasped. "What? You mean… Oh…" She felt sick.

The healer nodded. "We're doing what we can with the regular folk around town who can heal people, but as of right now… it seems this is as good as it's going to get…" The healer frowned, and Aqua followed the suit, staring at Vanille, who was looking much healthier.

"Oh!" The girl gasped, taking Aqua's hands. Aqua jumped, surprised. "Would you like a job as a healer?"

Aqua was shocked at first. A job as a healer? That had been her dream for years. The only time she had ever really pushed the dream away was when she had worked for Naminé. And that was because she loved the girl too much to think about leaving her for something so petty.

But, much like when she thought of begging her Master to take her back, she knew there was no way she could take the job.

Aqua slowly shook her head, and the healer looked downcast. "I'm sorry." Aqua said quietly. "I'd really like to… but I'm from the Dark Region."

The healer perked at this. "Really?" She asked, beaming. "So am I!" Aqua looked up at her, honestly surprised to hear this. "Really?" She whispered, her eyes widening. The healer nodded eagerly. "I'm Yuna." She smiled, holding out her hand. Aqua smiled and took it. "Aqua."

Yuna beamed at her. "Oh, please!" She begged. "The Dark Region is… just not a very pleasant place. Especially for someone with magic. That's why I'm here. I was a target because I'm a Summoner."

Aqua stared at her, unsure. She swallowed, and shook her head. "I… I really can't. I'm sorry, Yuna. I… I've got people in the Dark Region." She frowned, and folding her fist over her heart. "People I need to protect." She tilted her head up at the healer, who's face transformed into a look of realization.

"Oh," she said quietly. "Oh, I see. I understand perfectly what you're saying." Yuna smiled a little duller. "I have people in the Dark Region too. I can see why you don't want to leave them."

Aqua smiled slightly. "Thank you for the offer, though, Yuna." She said quietly. "Really, I'd of done it in a heartbeat…"

"Well, maybe someday, right?" Yuna asked, her eyes brightening.

"Maybe," Aqua whispered, nodding.

"Well, I'm happy for you." She said, and Aqua looked up at her, frowning. "Huh?"

"You have people. People to love, and protect." Yuna shook her head, still smiling gently. "Not a lot of people from the Dark Region can say that."

Aqua pondered over her words, and silently agreed. She was lucky to have Ven and Terra. Because when everything was said and done, they would be the people she would turn to. The thing most important to her. The people she'd lay down her life for.

She had something holding her to reality. If she ever lost her way, they'd be there to bring her back. Some people didn't have that. Some people strayed, and lost their grip, and inevitable became adrift. Some people like Vanitas.

It was odd how her thoughts usually went back to the aloof boy. She didn't like how she squirmed at the thought of him, and yet she often thought about his strange behavior (and his even stranger request). Maybe it was because of the turn around in their backwards relationship. How she willingly went to him whenever she had a question, for now he inevitably had to answer. The only questions he did not answer were the ones he swore would leave him dead by morning. And she did not question this, only asking things she really wanted to know. Who was Roxas, where Naminé and Xion came from, why Xehanort had killed Terra's parents and her own.

These were simple, and the ones that were actually answered. Some, like why Naminé was the way she was, and what exactly the Master was planning…

They didn't make the cut.

Yuna continued to chat idly about how she had to leave her boyfriend to come her. But he had made her come, so she was only really respecting his wishes, and with the promise that they'd be together soon, she left him and her cousin behind, finding a new life in the Light Region where her gifts were appreciated. She was often called to the Mansion when the apprentices were in dwindling health, and she excitedly explained how Sora got sick the most out of the three apprentices, while Roxas was the one who always got beaten up. Kairi rarely needed to be tended to because she had a great immune system, and she didn't take part in fights.

Aqua smiled at the mention of her younger sister. Yes, this was very reassuring. She rarely got hurt, and she didn't get sick often either. That was very good.

"Sounds like you know a lot about them." She murmured. Yuna nodded. "I do treat Kairi, though," she said thoughtfully. "For her condition, and all."

Aqua straightened, and stared at her. "C-condition?" She stammered, immediately thinking of Naminé's condition. Kairi couldn't be like that, could she? She didn't seem insane when Aqua saw her… But then again, that was only one time. Naminé could seem fine to anyone who only met her once. As long as she didn't speak.

Yuna blinked, and turned to look at her. She was now treating the boy she had found with gray-blue hair. "Yes," Yuna said slowly. "She has sleep terror disorder." Sleep terror? "Wow," Aqua said, slightly surprised, and a little irked that her sister had persistent nightmares. "Is it bad?"

Yuna shrugged, and healed the boy's broken leg. "She doesn't have them all the time. But when she does, they're awful." She glanced toward Sora and Riku, who were now speaking to Terra and Hope. She lowered her voice. "Sora and Roxas usually take turns calming her down. But Roxas said that he thinks Sora's much better at it. He barely hears a peep out of her when Sora comforts her."

Aqua felt suddenly very grateful for the two boys who took care of the little sister she had never known. Without them, Kairi would probably be very alone… but then, Master Eraqus would take care of her, right?

Of course he would. But the point was, Kairi had two people she could count on completely. This made Aqua very content. But…

Aqua looked up, a question tingling her tongue that she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to. "Why does Kairi have night terrors?" She asked as the woman tucked in the gray haired boy. Yuna turned, and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I think it's because of something that Master Xehanort did to her." She said slowly. "Yes… that's it. He kidnapped her, and then did something to her head. Then he sent her back completely broken, and a mess. At least that's what Sora said."

Aqua was silent. Master Xehanort. Had kidnapped her little sister, similarly to how he kidnapped her, and did something to her to make her have night terrors.

_Note to self: Ask Vanitas._

Aqua took a deep breath. "Oh," she said quietly. Yuna frowned. "Yes… it's a little troubling. But whatever her did to her was only psychological. Sora said he knows how she feels, and whatever Xehanort did to her probably only damaged her brain."

"Sora?" Aqua murmured, eyebrows raising half-heartedly.

Yuna frowned. "Yes… he-"

"Aqua!" Terra called, making the blue haired maiden spin around. "Yes?" She asked, blinking.

"Um, we're going to the mansion now. Hope's gonna stay here with Vanille for a few hours, then we're going to come back for him." He said, glancing at Yuna. She looked at him, then at Aqua, and smiled knowingly, before turning and walking away.

"What was that about?" Terra muttered, looking down at the blue haired girl. But she had been lost at Mansion.

_Oh, God, oh, God…_

"Aqua?" He whispered, shaking her shoulder. Aqua jumped. "U-uh…"

Terra frowned at her, and pulled the hood of his coat over her head. "Zip up," he smirked. "It's cold."

Aqua stared up at him, gaping a little. Why was she blushing? She blinked, and brought a hand to her cheek, feeling the warmth. This made no sense to her.

"R-right…" She whispered, fumbling with the zipper of Terra's coat, cursing the sleeves for being so long. Terra sighed, and pushed her hands away, leaning down a little to easily slid the zipper up. Terra gave her a questioning look, before shaking his head.

"Are you alright?" He asked, standing up straight. He placed his hand over her forehead, and slowly slid his fingers down her temples. "You've been acting weird all day. Did you get any sleep at all last night." Aqua's blush only increased from his warm hand, and she shook her head, looking down.

"No, I didn't." She said, feeling a little ashamed.

Terra looked down at her, and sighed. "You're going to end up passing out from sleep deprivation."

Aqua didn't answer. She stared at the way his neck curved, trying to stay completely expressionless. Why did things have to be so complicated?

Riku walked up to Terra, raising a pale eyebrow at his hand on her face, and rolled his eyes. "We're going." He said, jerking his head back. "You two coming?"

Terra nodded, and Aqua stood still, not ready or prepared in the least to meet her Master. But she knew this had to be done.

Terra gently nudged her forward, and Aqua closed her eyes, taking deep, calming breaths. She could do this, right? She could just explain things… and…

What was the use? He thought she was a Red Man.

Red… Woman.

Whatever…

She swallowed, and clung to Terra's shirt, begging for some kind of short cut to doing this correctly. What was she even going to say when she saw him?

_Hi, it's me, Aqua. You know, that girl your son convinced you to take in, that you thought was dead? Yeah, I'm really sorry about running away a few weeks ago, and for basically not helping you out when you were getting the stuffing beaten out of you… but I'd really like it if you could accept me again. Please and thank you!_

She whimpered into Terra's arm. What was she going to _do_?

"Aqua?" Terra whispered, and Sora turned around to watch them curiously. "Aqua, you're acting like you… like you're scared or something." They walked through the Light Region town, Aqua keeping completely silent. How could she explain this to them?

"I'm sorry…" She murmured finally. "I'm not really acting like myself, am I?"

Terra shook his head. "You seem so off, Aqua." He frowned, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. The blush that had gone away returned, and she scowled. Why was she blushing? Why would she be-

Unless… she liked him?

This caused her blush to increased, spreading down her neck. She slowly began to listen, noticing how her heart had begun to race when her forehead brushed against his chin.

She stared blankly at the citizens passing by.

This was not happening.

She… she couldn't… why would she…

She swallowed, and closed her eyes.

This was all wrong. How… no. She couldn't…

But… didn't she?

She squeezed her eyes shut. He was her best friend. You shouldn't have feelings for your best friend. What would Ven think when he found out? How would she be teased by Vanitas when he found out?

Even worse. How jealous would Vanitas be when he found out?

He won't find out, though, she told herself. No, he couldn't. Because I won't tell anyone. No one will know.

They finally reached some kind of training clearing. Surrounded by woods, a small nook in what seemed to be a vast forest. This was right on the lawn of the Mansion. Very handy…

There was Roxas, laying on his back in the snow, swinging his shiny black Keyblade half-heartedly in the air, while Kairi, who sat beside him, spoke to him in a clear, but hushed voice.

"'What is my worth,' the marionette said, 'if I am nothing but your puppet on strings? Why do I have to die? Why?' But the Master did not answer. His face was creased in worry, for what if his creation did not follow its duty? What if it decided to become real? Finally, he said, 'So be it, puppet. But when my son dies, I shall call for you. And you can look upon his cold, lifeless face, and see the agony you have wrought. You will writher from despair and guilt, and your skin will melt from your sinful face, and you will see the monster you really are. What is your worth, creature? Who are you to decide what your purpose is?' The master's anger radiated off the room, and the marionette decided to flee. What was her worth, anyway? The Master's words were lies. She would have no problem looking into the dead face of her love. She had no real feelings, after all. She was not real. In spite of her dreaded existence, she took a knife, and began to carve into her arm; _puppet, puppet, puppet._ She went to her dying love, tearful, and cried out, 'Is this blood real? Is this pain fake? I have a pulse, and I feel, and yet I am a creature! What does that tell you, you terror? You heart stealer?' But the boy hadn't heard her. He couldn't even see her. So she stood, watching for hours, arm dripping the words of truth, as his health dwindled. And she made her decision. She would die." Kairi's voice echoed in the clearing, as Roxas stopped swinging his blade to listen.

"Wow…" He said quietly. "The Master told you this Fairy Tale?"

Aqua stared at her sister, shocked. That was _her_ story. The Marionette. But it was so much better told when Kairi said it. She went into such detail…

Kairi nodded. "He said it was a lesson on love. How it hurts more than anything."

"That's awful." Roxas said quietly. "But I can see where he's coming from."

"Especially with all the things that's happened. Everybody the Master gets close to seems to just…"

"Get hurt." Roxas finished, closing his eyes.

Riku stepped into the clearing, and Kairi spun around. Roxas jumped to his feet, his dark blade still at hand. But what surprised Aqua was the flash of light in his other hand. She gaped, as a strange looking Keyblade appeared in his hand, the handle looking quite like it had been sawed virtically in half.

"Relax!" Sora shouted, stepping out from behind Terra and Aqua. Aqua hadn't even realized he had trailed behind.

Both Roxas and Kairi relaxed visibly. Kairi's eyes trailed to Terra. "Oh!" She shouted, her eyes brightening. She looked at Aqua, and frowned. "Hey… aren't you…?"

"I'm… Aqua." Aqua said quietly. She wondered if the name would trigger a reaction. But Kairi just tilted her head. She cautiously stood up, and smiled a little. "Kairi." She said softly. She turned to Roxas.

"Roxas," she whispered, tugging on his sleeve. "This is the guy who saved you." Roxas blinked, and stared up at Terra. Aqua raised an eyebrow, and blinked up at Terra as well, who rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Oh," Roxas said, staring at Terra with a look that made Aqua's mind scream Ven. "Oh. Wow." He banished his Keyblades. "T-thanks."

Terra nodded. Sora disappeared to the front of the mansion. He cupped his mouth, and shouted, "Maaaaaaster! We're back!"

Riku wasn't far behind him, and Roxas and Kairi quickly rushed to the front gate. Terra pushed Aqua gently, and she slowly walked toward the gate. She stared at the large door leading to the mansion, her knees buckling in shock. What was she going to do?

She slowly slipped behind Terra, ashamed of what her Master might think of her.

She heard the door open, and a chorus of greetings filled the air. "Hello, Master."

He spoke, his voice wonderfully familiar, and yet it sent a pang through her heart. "Hello, Sora, Riku. Good to see you two made it fine…" He trailed off, and Aqua froze, and gripped the back of Terra's suspenders. He blinked, and looked back at her.

"Terra."

Terra whipped around, and stared. "Hello, Master."

Aqua silently gaped. _Terra knows the Master?_

Her Master chuckled. "It's nice to see you again." Terra nodded. "Yeah. It's good to be back… oh!" He turned slightly. "There's someone I want you to meet."

Aqua completely froze up, as Terra turned to face her. He was grinning until he saw her expression. It immediately dropped. "What's wrong?" He whispered. Aqua shook her head. She pressed her hands to her heart, and squeezed her eyes shut. "Aqua?"

Aqua looked up, trembling slightly. She reached out, and snatched his hand. He stared blankly at her. "Don't you dare let go." She whispered, eyes wide with dread, and fear. He stared at her, and nodded.

She slowly walked around Terra, head bowed. She could feel all eyes on her, and she didn't like it. There was silence for a few moments. Complete and utter silence. She looked up, eyes still wide.

Her Master looked equally wide eyed, and slightly taken aback. But he seemed to be more composed than the blue haired girl. Aqua sucked in as much air, and breathed out a single phrase before a few tears escaped her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

_Agreed with AwesomeAnon. Last chapter- fail. I like this one better, and the next one as well._

_Yuna is quite the gossiper. XD Actually, I don't really like Yuna. But she fit right in, sooo..._

_So, like, and hour ago, I was ready to go to bed, because it was Two AM, right? So I'm fiddling with my PSP (AQUA'S STORY, BITCHES! 8D No, seriously, this guy who was helping to fix our ceiling came into the room right after I beat Vanitas, and I was watching the end credits for Ven's story (because I was so excited about it I basically screamed), and was like: "What game are you playing?" So naturally I said: "Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep." And guess what this twenty four year old guy said? "Oh I've played Kingdom Hearts!" This was very exciting for me, because I've never met anyone who's played the game without me telling them to.) and I looked at my clock, and it said it was like, two, which I knew, so I looked back at my computer... it said one AM._

_Hell. Yes. Daylight Savings._

_Next Chapter: Little Bird_


	29. Little Bird

**White Knight: Twenty Nine :Little Bird**

There was silence. Tears ran down Aqua's cheeks before she had the chance to brush them away. She stared at the glint in her metal shoes, and listened to the absolute silence, her hand still firmly gripping Terra's for dear life. Her Master looked at her, confused at first, and then, very slowly, his face hardened. Aqua squeezed Terra's hand, and felt the need to go hide again. She wanted to run. Run, and run… There was nothing she could do.

Finally, he spoke. "Sora, Kairi, Roxas, Riku. Go to your rooms."

The silence was deafening.

"But, Master, I don't have a room here." This was Riku, of course, pointing out the obvious.

"Go to Sora's room, then." Her Master commanded. "Go."

"Can we all go to Sora's room?" This was Kairi.

"If you please, you may. Now leave." Her Master's voice was strained, carefully removing any emotions. Aqua squeezed Terra's hand tighter, biting her tongue to keep herself from sobbing.

There were quiet foot steps. It was obvious the four were leaving, confusion probably settling in their brains. After the four students entered the mansion, they were greeted with silence again. The Master was probably listening for signs of his students moving around near the door. Then, finally he sighed. A worn, tired, and almost relieved sigh. "Alright," he said quietly. "Follow me." And with that, he turned, walking up the mansion's steps, and opened the door. Aqua stayed still, still unsure of what to do. Her face was cold from the tears that were frozen on her cheeks. She stared at the opened door, and swallowed as the Master disappeared through it. She spun around to face Terra, her eyes wide. "Don't leave me." She said, her voice sounding almost threatening. She said it again through gritted teeth. "Don't you dare leave me."

Terra stared at her, and shook his head. "I won't, I swear." He said, squeezing her hand, and giving her a tiny smile of reassurance. "I would never leave you." Aqua calmed slightly at his words, closing her eyes. Terra gently pulled her toward the steps. "I don't know if I want to know what this is about…" Terra said with a small chuckle. Aqua managed to smile slightly. "It would hurt your head." She whispered. Terra didn't question further.

They entered the Mansion, and spotted the Master standing in the hall, waiting. Slowly, he turned, and continued down the hall. Terra and Aqua stood in the doorway, unsure, before following him. Terra recognized this hall from the small amount of time he spent imprisoned here. Aqua was stiff at his side, memories replaying over and over in her head.

_She rushed down the hall, blue skirt afloat as she skidded to a stop-_

_The rain was pouring down on the stain glass window in the hall, and Aqua felt the depression begin to sink in-_

_She stood in the hall, tracing the patterns on a window. "The marionette couldn't live-"_

She shook her head, desperate to clear it of this dreadful memories. Her Master stopped at a large door, and slowly, he opened it. He slipped into the room with Aqua and Terra in tow, and the door slammed shut behind them, making Aqua squeak a little in terror.

It was a large room, almost like a ballroom, with a large stain glass window not unlike the ones in the hall, and three chairs residing in the far back. Aqua remembered this room as well.

"_Master!" She gasped, tripping over herself to reach him. He turned, and this time, she saw a man behind him. A familiar, bald man._

Aqua drifted back to the present, not sure if that part of the memory was real or not. She looked up, and watched her Master collapse in one of the chairs in the back, while Terra began to comb the hair out of her face, and eyes, and wipe the tears from her cheeks. She sniffled, and silently thanked the Lord that she had Terra. Because Terra would be the only person who would do this for her. For Ven, it was she who fixed his hair, and wiped his tears… she never thought about him being able to do the same. But now that she thought about it, she had always tried very hard not to cry in front of Ven. It upset him.

Terra's hand was still tightly interlocked with her own. It was warm considering the frigid temperature, and she swallowed, looking up at her Master. His face was now completely _weary_, making him look years older than he really was. Dark eyes staring both Aqua and Terra down, examining them.

There was still absolute silence. Aqua felt close to crying again, and Terra didn't know what was going on. So it was up to the Master. He sighed finally, and sat up straighter.

"This was unexpected," he said shortly, his eyes flitting from Aqua, to Terra, then back. Aqua nodded stiffly. Her Master took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. "I… thought the worst, of course… I suppose it's human nature…"

Aqua spoke, her voice cracking from the tears. "Thought the worst of me? Or what became of me?" Terra looked down at her curiously.

Her Master looked away. "Both." He said quietly. "I knew… there was a chance you might have survived… but there was no telling." He closed his eyes, and leaned his head back. "I should've gone looking for you. I'm so sorry."

Aqua stared at him. More tears welled in her eyes, and she shook her head furiously. "It's not your fault!" She gasped, almost angry. The tears dripped over her eyelashes, and settled onto her cheeks. "I'm the one that has to apologize. I was stupid. That's how it always was. I was stupid, and…" She swallowed. "And…"

"It's no excuse!" Her Master snapped, standing. Aqua shrunk back, and Terra pulled her back to his side. He turned back to Master Eraqus, frowning. His confusion was getting worse and worse. "You were just a child. A child that was _my_ responsibility. If I had kept a better eye on you…" Her Master's fists clenched. He turned away.

Aqua had nothing to add to this. Sadly, he was completely right. She couldn't think of anything else to drag the blame over to herself. So she stood, and stared. Tears didn't cease to run down her cheeks, and she looked down, trying to think of something to make him feel less guilty.

Finally Terra spoke up. "Um… I don't mean to break up the blame thing, but I'm really lost."

Aqua stared at him, noticing his completely vacant expression, and giggled a little. He looked down at her, and smiled, although he knew she was laughing at his expense.

Aqua's Master looked back at him. He frowned. "You never told him?" He asked, walking off the platform. Aqua swallowed, and looked down. "I…" She said. "I only just remembered the last time I came here. I didn't want to tell anyone about it."

Her Master's eyebrows raised. "Just remembered?" He repeated. "Only just? How did you forget?"

"I…" She flushed and looked down. "I put a spell on myself, I think. When I was six. So I'd forget about the Light Region… and everyone in it."

"Why would you do such a thing?" Her Master asked, staring at her. "How did you do such a thing?"

Aqua chewed on her lips, and brought her hands up to her face so she was cupping her nose and mouth. "I… wanted to forget."

Eraqus stared at her. He frowned, and closed his eyes, turning away again. "I see…" He muttered.

Aqua gasped, and shook her head. "No! It wasn't that I wasn't happy here or anything! Of course I was happy here! I… I just really thought I was never coming back. And I don't even think I meant to do it, either. It just happened."

Eraqus looked at her. "You cast a spell on yourself and didn't realize it?"

"I forgot." She whispered.

He sighed, and Aqua closed her eyes, squeezing them shut. "I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I'm so, so sorry, Master."

"It was my fault." He said. "All of it. You hold no blame."

"That's just what Xehanort wants you to think, though, isn't it?" Aqua murmured. "He takes these good things, and warps them into unhappy memories. And you let him do this!" Tears still ran freely down her cheeks. "Why?"

Eraqus turned completely around, and walked towards her and Terra. Her eyes widened, and she squeezed Terra's hand, but he did not let go. He edged a little closer to her side. Eraqus stood a few feet away, looking obviously tired. "How is your life in the Dark Region?" He asked, looking between Terra and Aqua. "Did Xehanort ever hurt you?"

There was silence. The only movement were Aqua and Terra's eyes as the glanced at each other, sharing the same though.

_Uh, _yeah_ he did._

"He…" Aqua coughed slightly, her throat raw. "He might've… hurt me. Once."

Eraqus's rage was not seen in his features, but the duo could feel it radiating off him. "What did he do?" He asked in an emotionless voice.

"He stabbed her." Terra said, making Aqua look at him sharply. "Because of me. That was my fault."

"No it wasn't," Aqua whispered.

"Yes it was," Terra continued. "He stabbed her because he saw me hugging her. He thought I had gotten too attached, so he decided to get rid of the problem. It was my fault."

Eraqus looked at Terra, and frowned. "He attacked her because you hugged her?" He murmured. "He's lost his mind."

Terra managed to smile a little. "Tell me about it."

Aqua stifled a giggled, and smiled as well. Eraqus looked at her. "Why did you run?"

Aqua stiffened immediately. She had seen this one coming, but still. "I was scared." She whispered.

"Scared of me, or scared of your past?"

"Both?"

Eraqus sighed. Terra stared, slowly piecing together what was going on in his head. "Aqua…" He said slowly. "You lived here?"

Aqua froze, and looked up at him. She nodded, and looked down. "For two years. I think." She looked at her Master, frowning. He nodded. "Two years. Almost three."

"Master," Aqua said tentatively. "Kairi doesn't know who I am."

Eraqus stiffened. Terra looked curiously between the two. "Kairi was here when you were?" He asked, looking down at Aqua.

Aqua smiled slightly. "Something like that." She murmured, looking down at her hands.

"I never told Kairi about you." Eraqus said quietly. Aqua looked up, feeling a little hurt.

"Why?" She whispered. "Why… but she-"

"It was for my own vain reasons that I did not tell her, Aqua." Eraqus said slowly. "I… like you… wanted to forget my past. I forbade her from going into your room, and only spoke of you when I gave warnings about the wall- which was rebuilt after you were… apprehended, if you hadn't notice."

"I kind of did today." Aqua said quietly. "There's a hole in the Dark Region wall. That was the same hole that was made when the wall got blown up for me, right?"

Eraqus frowned. "Yes. That was when skirmishes began to erupt. We built an entirely different wall to keep the Dark Region out. But, obviously, it doesn't work very well."

"No, it really doesn't." Aqua sighed, wiping the tears from her face. "Um… about Ven…"

"Ah," Eraqus smiled at this. "Ventus. I take it you're friend of his?"

"Yes." Terra said. "And I'm just going to ignore how confused I am for the purpose of figuring Ven out. Why doesn't he remember Roxas? Or growing up here?"

Eraqus stared at him, blinking slowly. "I'm sorry, Terra. I do not know."

"I do," Aqua said quietly. Both her Master and her friend turned to look at her, surprised. She looked up. "He got amnesia from being frozen so long. But that doesn't explain what happened to his Keyblade."

"Keyblade?" Terra repeated, looking at Aqua with wide eyes. "What?"

"Roxas has Ventus's Keyblade." Master Eraqus said, as if it were completely obvious. "He sometimes switches with Sora for duel wielding. They're the only Keyblade wielders I know of to achieve this. Roxas and Sora switch every so often, though respectively Wayward Wind comes to Roxas when called, and Oathkeeper comes to Sora. Wayward Wind was Ventus's."

The teens were silent, letting this information sink in. Terra spoke first. "Why does Roxas have it and not Ven?"

"It sensed it was a threat to Ventus's life, I suppose, and relinquished its rights to Roxas. The four of us thought it was a sign of his death, until Riku came along. But he only passed on Ventus's arrangement to me."

"Can Ven's Keyblade go back to him?"

"Yes. If he seeks it, he will find it."

"Let's not tell him about it then…" Terra muttered. "He still doesn't even know what we do on missions."

"What you did," Aqua corrected.

"No excuse."

Another question stirred in Aqua's mind. She looked down, and took a deep breath. "I heard a healer say Kairi has a condition." She said quietly. "Night terror disorder. Why… no. Just why." She looked up at her Master, her gaze hardening.

Eraqus flinched, and turned away. "I am sorry, Aqua."

"Why?" Aqua felt like she could seethe with anger, but now she just wanted to know. "What happened?"

"You weren't the only one taken by Xehanort, Aqua." Eraqus said quietly. He turned towards her, his dark eyes making him look centuries old. "It so happens you were the only one he managed not to break."

His words hung in the air, whirling around their heads in whispers. _You were the only one he didn't break, you were the only one he didn't break. _Aqua was horrified, scenarios running through her brain continuously. This couldn't be right. This… was…

"Break?" Aqua whispered. "Break?"

Eraqus breathed in deeply. "He kidnapped Kairi first. When she was eight. We still don't know exactly what he did to her, but something snapped in her mind, and he sent her back here. He left her on the doorstep in all honesty, screaming and crying, and trying to rip her hair out." Eraqus looked solemn, and ready to sit down.

"Sound familiar?" Terra said under his breath. Aqua elbowed him.

"She's okay now, though, right?"

Eraqus frowned. "You could say that." He looked up at the stain glass window. "But all the same, she has night terrors. Not as often as before, but still often enough."

Aqua was silent, trying to think of something else Yuna said. She looked up. "What about Sora?"

Eraqus's lip twitched. "Yes," he said quietly. "What about Sora?"

"Wait," Terra said, obviously confused again. "What about Sora?"

"Sora was kidnapped when he was twelve." Eraqus said quietly. "He was also given back to me on the verge of insanity. He tried to kill me. Numerous times."

"Sora?" Terra asked, his eyes widening. "Sora, Sora? But… he's…"

"The happiest boy you'll find, yes." Eraqus closed his eyes. "He is… in a strange predicament. He rarely ever slips into these homicidal rages, but when he does he won't remember it."

"Did he ever hurt anyone?" Aqua asked, horrified. The happy-go-lucky boy she had just met… he could become just as murderous as Vanitas. That thought scared her.

"No." Eraqus said shortly. "I consider whatever takes over Sora a thing. It isn't very intelligent, because it never calls forth the Keyblade. It's just rage. Usually we can keep him out of trouble. Kairi doesn't even know about it."

"Good…" Aqua murmured. "That's good. At least he's not… really crazy."

Eraqus gave her a tired smile. He stared at her, the smile slowly falling from his face. "You grew up."

Aqua smiled a little. Terra coughed. "It happens to every one over time, you know." He said. Aqua looked at him.

"What?" He asked, blinking.

"You're handling this well." She observed.

Terra chuckled, and ruffled the back of his hair. "I'm seriously still waiting for it to fully sink in."

"That I'm from the Light Region?"

"That you didn't bother to tell me when you found out." At this point Terra was mocking a hurt expression.

"I thought about it," Aqua giggled. "But, no. I didn't bother, did I?"

Terra frowned. "I am very disappointed in you, Aqua."

She just smiled, and shook her head.

* * *

"Little bird, little bird…" The blonde whispered, rocking back and forth. "Little bird, little bird…"

Ven stared at her, his hopes dwindling with every 'little bird' uttered.

Naminé wasn't here anymore. She was trapped inside her own mind, left to whisper these tiny words over and over again.

Where was the girl he had befriended over a month before?

* * *

_Yeah, bite on to that VenNami, because when Aqua and Terra get back, it's basically gonna be like this: Aqua talks to Vanitas, VanAqua, Party Time is Announced, TerraAqua AND VanAqua, Party Time, Xehanort Creeping... and THEN VenNami. And that will lead to the basic final events of the story._

_And I thought this was going to be over soon. *Rolls eyes* I think I'll have at least three hundred reviews by the time I finish if I go at this rate!_

_So, updates will be slower. Sorry. I was looking for time ALL WEEK to write, but every day it was a headache preventing me from getting to my goal in NaNo, and it was AWFUL today I went to a write-in, and it saved me. Seriously. Three thousand words in two hours. That's an accomplishment. I got so ahead, when I came home I started writing this right away, and TA DA! The result. Well, no. I wrote this last week. The NEXT chapter I wrote today. So, yeah. _

_Little Bird is a refering to both Nami and Kairi. Not Aqua. If it was Aqua, it would be Bluebird. GOD, I love Phil, but he is SUCH A PERV. Wow. Almost done with Aqua's story though. Wish me luck, and watch me be cursing her final boss in the next chapter. XD_

_DROP A REVIEW IF YOU CAN! :D_

_Next Chapter: Debating the Truth (Not my finest names. And I feel like the chapter's a filler- at least I'm not rushing, though.)_


	30. Debating the Truth

**White Knight: Thirty :Debating the Truth**

Terra frowned. "So… you're…"

"From the Light Region." Aqua said, nodding. She was sitting in the chair next to Eraqus, her legs pulled to her chest. Terra was the only one standing. He was still trying to figure out what was going on.

"And… Kairi…"

"Is my sister." Aqua said quietly.

"Half-sister," Eraqus reminded her. Aqua looked at him, and nodded. "Half-sister…" She murmured.

"Right… and… Master Xehanort…"

"Kidnapped me." Aqua whispered. She looked away, up at the stain glass window.

Terra was silent. He looked at her, then at Eraqus, and then he frowned. He ruffled his hair in thought, and frowned deeper. "Aqua…" He said slowly. "This is going to sound really, really bad, but… I'm kind of glad Xehanort kidnapped you."

Aqua looked up at him sharply, and Eraqus's gaze hardened, and narrowed. "What?" Aqua whispered. "What?"

"I mean…" Terra shook his head. "I mean, if he hadn't… if you grew up here…" He looked up at her, and smiled slightly. "I'd of never met you, right?"

Aqua's face softened, and Eraqus relaxed. She smiled slightly, staring at him from her perch on the chair. "That's true," she said slowly. "I… didn't really think about it, but you're right. If I hadn't of been stupid… if I hadn't of gotten kidnapped…" She looked down, her smile growing. "I'd of never gotten the chance to be friends with you."

Eraqus stood, and the duo jumped. Aqua sat up straight, and Terra stood, hands at his sides, staring at the Master. He walked to Terra's side, and reached toward him, giving him a small pat on the shoulder. He smiled at the boy, who was slightly taller than himself, and Aqua relaxed a little.

"Thank you, Terra." He said, turning away from the young man. Terra stood, and gaped slightly. "Master?" He said blankly. "For what?"

Eraqus stopped, and sighed. He closed his eyes, and looked up at the stain glass window. "You looked after Aqua despite not knowing her in the least when you met her. This is not an easy task, to take someone in right when you meet them." He turned, his dark eyes tired. He looked up, and sighed. "Yes, Terra. Thank you."

Terra stared at him, blinking. "You…" He said slowly. "You're welcome, Master."

Aqua stood from her seat, and brushed back some of her cerulean bangs. She slowly walked forward, and managed to scoot close enough to Terra to feel the heat of his skin. Terra blinked, and looked down at her as she spoke. "Master, I hope you realize I'm not staying." Aqua said, her voice sounding strained. Terra froze and stared at her. She wasn't?

"Aqua," he said quietly. He closed his eyes. "You should stay."

Aqua whipped around, and gaped at him. "Terra-"

"No." Terra said sharply. She immediately shut her mouth, and looked down. "Aqua, I've seen you get hurt too many times. I don't want to see you get stabbed again, or worse. This is a way out. You should take it."

Aqua looked up at him, her eyes wide, and shining. She looked down, and swallowed, her eyes flitting back and forth, as if she were confused. She stopped, and looked up at him.

Then she slapped him.

Both men stood, bewildered, as Aqua's palm connected with Terra's face. Though his head only really snapped slightly to the side, his shock made it stay there long than it should have. Aqua's face was flushed with anger, her dark blue eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Eraqus's eyes had widened considerably, and Terra blinked, turning his face back to the girl.

"You…" Aqua hissed. She gritted her teeth, and stared at him. "You really think I'd just leave you and Ven like that?" She near screeched, making Terra step back in surprise. "What… Terra, why would I…"

He looked away. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I just think you'd be better off."

Aqua scowled. "I don't care, Terra. I'm not leaving you two. _Ever_. Alright? Drop it."

Terra looked at Eraqus, who looked half amused, and half serious. "What do you think, Master?" He asked, making Aqua glare at him.

Eraqus frowned, and looked between the two quarreling teens. "I think…" He ignored Aqua's gaze. "Terra is correct. Aqua, you would be much safer here." Terra smirked a little and Aqua gritted her teeth, elbowing him. "But it is Aqua's choice. I cannot make her stay here if she would be unhappy. Therefore…" Aqua's face brightened, and she looked at her Master with wide eyes. "Aqua, whatever it is you want, that is the choice I will stand by."

Aqua smiled brightly, and spun around on her heels to look at Terra. "Ah ha!" She giggled. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Terra!"

Terra rolled his eyes, but smiled slightly. Aqua seemed generally happy about this. She wanted to go back to the Dark Region. His smile widened. She actually wanted to come back with him, knowing full well this was where she belonged.

Terra was happy to see her happy. And he was even happier to know she wanted to be by his side.

There was silence. Aqua looked up at him, looking triumphant, but he didn't seem to care. Terra looked up at the Master, and frowned, rubbing his cheek a little. "So," he said, "what about Kairi?"

Aqua blinked, and stared at him. The Master frowned as well. "Kairi…" He said quietly. Terra looked between him and Aqua. "I mean, you never told her. Don't you think she might be surprised to know that she had an older sister?"

Master Eraqus closed his eyes, and Aqua stiffened. "I didn't know I had a younger sister, so it'll be weird for both of us." She said quietly. Terra looked at her, and shook his head. "I'm just saying," he said looking at the Master. "Kairi… she needs to know, but she's probably going to flip out. You should've told her beforehand."

The Master looked away. "I thought about it," he said, looking up. "Numerous times. But then I'd have to explain about what happened to Cordis, and then to Aqua… and I felt that if I hid it for long enough, it would just go away."

"You thought I was dead." Aqua interoperated. "You wanted to forget about me and Cordis."

The Master looked at her, and gave her a tiny smile. "You were right, Aqua." He said. "Right to erase your memory. It was a wise choice, to forget rather than to bear those burdens of knowing you'd never see either of us again. I never thought of doing such a thing, and I couldn't of anyway…" He frowned, and turned away. "My memories were all I had left of you two, besides that solitary picture in your room."

"You never took any pictures of Cordis?" Aqua asked, looking up at him. "Why?"

The Master chuckled dryly. "I do not know…" He murmured. "I suppose… I never thought the point of getting a camera. But now…"

"You wish you did," Terra finished.

"Yes."

Aqua leaned on Terra's shoulder, and closed her eyes. She thought back to all the times she had played with Terra in the snow while enjoying a usual trip to the forest. How many times she played tag with him when she was younger, and always lost, because he tackled her before she could really get anywhere. She thought about the time Terra had jumped into a half-frozen river to save her favorite story book.

Then she thought about how different her life would've been if it had been her little sister at her side instead of Terra.

"_Terra!" She screamed, jumping away from the river, and falling back. He spun around, and stared at her. "What?" He asked, walking to her side. He rose an eyebrow at her half-buried body, and rolled his eyes. "You're such a klutz, Aqua." He muttered, pulling her to her feet. She shivered, and shook her head. He blinked at her._

"_My-" She gasped. "My book!"_

_He stopped. He looked down at her, and noticed her hands were empty. He suppressed a sigh. "Oh, shit…" He muttered, spinning around, his boots making a circular print in the snow. There, floating merrily down the river, was Aqua's book. Terra shook his head, as Aqua looked down at her feet, her depressed aura definitely bringing his spirits down. Terra gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, before he ran down the bank of the river._

_Aqua spun around in time to see him jump. She shrunk back from the cold droplets that hit her face. She gasped, and rushed forward, dropping to the ground as she watched Terra swim forward, ignoring the freezing water. He let the currents guide him, and somehow he caught up to the tiny black book that she thought would be lost forever._

_A million things passed through her mind. Terra would drown, Terra would catch pneumonia, Terra would pass out from the cold, Terra would get hurt climbing out of the water…_

_It was almost naïve to think about, but she really was worried. She stood up, ignoring the snow that was stuck to her knees, and she ran toward him, watching him swim to the bank. She fell to her knees, desperately reaching out toward him. He reached out as well, but only to place the black book in her hand as he tried to pull himself up onto the bank. Aqua stared at it blankly for a few moments, before carelessly tossing it behind her. He frowned at her, then yelped when she grabbed him by his soaking wet shirt, and yanked him back onto dry land. He shivered as he landed in the snow, and Aqua gaped at him._

"_What were you thinking?" She shrieked, crawling to his side so she could look at his face. She flipped him onto his back as he panted. "I was th-thinking that y-you wa-wanted your-r bo-ook b-back." He shuddered, standing. Aqua swallowed, and grabbed hold of the sodden book, before standing herself. _

"_Well-!" Aqua paused mid-shout. She shouldn't be yelling at him. He had just jumped into a river to save a _book_. For her. She managed to smile a little._

"_Thank you, Terra." She murmured. "But you're an idiot."_

_He shrugged, and shuddered again. Aqua stuck close to his side, trying to remember what to do when someone fell into freezing water._

Her life would've been very, very different.

"Should we tell her?" Aqua murmured, frightened at the thought of Kairi knowing.

Her Master frowned, as did Terra. They looked at each other, and Terra shrugged. "The longer we put it off, the more painful it will be to tell her. I say we- well, you two, since it wouldn't make sense for me to tell her- tell her now. Today."

Aqua looked down, and nodded. "Agreed…" She murmured, though not so sure.

Her Master looked at her, and sighed. "Oh… alright. We'll tell her. I suppose mentioning Ventus would be a horrible idea in the making?" He peered at the two, and Aqua immediately blurted, "Yes!"

Terra looked at her. So did her Master. Aqua swallowed. "It's just…" She coughed. "Ven… he's really close to Naminé. She's Master Xehanort's ward, and if she's unhappy…" Aqua shivered. Terra stared at her, before slowly nodding. "Yeah…" He said, looking at the Master. "Naminé's really important to Xehanort. No one knows why."

The Master frowned deeply, and looked between the duo. "Tell me about this…" He grimaced. "Naminé."

Aqua didn't like his tone, or the face he was making. But she spoke up anyway. "She's… a little on the mad side." Aqua admitted. "I don't know why. But now that I know what happened to Sora and Kairi… I can only guess." Eraqus looked mildly intrigued.

"Mad you say?" He murmured. Aqua nodded.

"She… isn't really insane, but she… is. It's hard to explain. She can be perfectly fine one moment, and the next she could be ripping her hair out." Aqua shivered involuntarily. "It's very… interesting to be around her."

"And how old is she?" The Master murmured.

"Fourteen."

"Same as Kairi…" He muttered.

Aqua exchanged a look with Terra, before nodding silently. There was something strange about Naminé and Kairi. And they needed to figure out what exactly it was.

Aqua tilted her head back, and thought about what exactly she was going to say to Kairi. This wasn't really good. Not at all. Aqua frowned, and looked at Terra. He was peering down at her, frowning as well.

"Master…" Aqua murmured, looking up at the older man. Eraqus hummed, and looked down at the blue haired maiden.

"Yes, child." He said. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry." She murmured. She hugged, her arms, and shook her head. "Master, I'm so, so sorry."

Her Master stared at her, his dark eyes questioning for a moment, before he chuckled. He walked to her side, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She stiffened slightly when she was pulled to his chest, only used to this kind of treatment from Terra, but her shoulders eventually slumped in an almost defeated sort of way.

Terra smiled slightly at the sight. Aqua did have a family out in the world. They just had to look hard enough.

Even Ven had a blood relative laying around.

So maybe they weren't so broken after all.

Maybe.

* * *

Kairi sat in Sora's room, watching Riku pace back and forth. Roxas was laying on Sora's bed, frowning at the silver haired boy, while Sora was slumped in a chair.

"What," Sora said, watching his best friend reach the door, and pivot, walking in the opposite direction. "The," Kairi brushed some hair out of her eyes, and tilted her head at Sora. "Hell."

"Riku's gone crazy as bat shit," Roxas yawned, stretching.

"Maybe." Sora chuckled. He looked at the silver haired boy, and frowned. "Seriously, Riku. You seem majorly freaked out. What's up?"

Riku stopped, and turned to look at him. "Aqua and Terra. I need to know what's going on."

"Why?" Kairi asked, tilting her head. "I mean, it's none of our business. I think Aqua's just apologizing for what she did a few weeks ago."

"What'd she do a few weeks ago?" Sora asked, biting on a bit of licorice he had mysteriously conjured up.

"She was with a Red Man." Kairi shrugged, stealing the licorice out from under his lips. She grinned as he gaped at her, turning the licorice over, and biting it.

"That was her?" Roxas said, looking uneasy.

Kairi nodded. "She didn't have the Red Man touch though. I don't think she is one."

"Good," Sora piped up. "I liked her. And Terra, too. I hope they can come here."

"They can't." Riku sighed.

"Why not?" Sora grumbled. "It's not like it'd be a big deal-"

"It would be." Riku said sharply. "Terra's Master Xehanort's nephew, and Aqua is basically his new target. Honestly I don't know how it's possible no one noticed she's been gone. I'm sure Vanitas has, because he's creepy like that, but…" Riku shrugged.

Sora fell silent. So did the rest of the room. There was silence except for the chewing of Kairi's licorice.

"She called me Ven." Roxas said quietly. Sora looked up, surprised written across his features, and Kairi jumped, wide eyed.

"What?" Kairi murmured.

"She called me Ven, and then she got confused." Roxas whispered. "I don't know. It was weird."

"Sounds weird." Sora said, scratching the back of his head.

"Do you think that means she knows what happened to Ven?" Kairi asked, looking excited.

"I hope so!" Sora chirped. "It would be nice to have Ven around. Twice the Roxas to screw with."

"That came out weird." Kairi observed, giggling a little. Sora blinked down at her, confused while Riku laughed, and Roxas looked slightly annoyed.

"We should ask," Roxas said quietly. "If Ven is in the Dark Region…"

"There's still hope for the world!" Sora cried in an overly dramatic deep voice.

* * *

_This was a filler. I know I'm dragging out this Light Region trip for really long, but I don't know what else to do besides drag it out. Next chapter is when Kairi finds out, so, yay. _

_NaNo's looking good. Didn't write today, so tomorrow will be FUN. Hint the sarcasm._

_This story's in the TVTropes KH Fanfiction recs. O.O It's incredibly shocking. And the review the person left... Wow. Really wow._

_So, shout out to Zero Potential. Dude, that review made me so happy, if you're still reading this story, I'll write you a oneshot (after November is over when I have lots of free time) of any pairing of your choosing (except VenAqua, because that pairing is like... blah to me). But you'd have to tell me what you want. Again, if you're still reading..._

_ZOMG HARRY POTTER AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! DOBBY! *Sobs*_

_Anyway, back to the story. Major fluff alert in the beginning of next chapter. Just a warning._

_Next chapter: Sisterhood [of the traveling pants ;D] _


	31. Sisterhood

**White Knight: Thirty One :Sisterhood**

"We're telling her?" Aqua whispered. "Really? It's final?"

Her Master looked down, and nodded. "I see no other choice, my dear."

Aqua looked up at Terra, who nodded in agreement. The young man turned to face the blue-haired girl. He gave her an encouraging gaze. "Aqua," He said slowly. "Aqua, the longer this is kept from her, the worse this is going to turn out."

Aqua swallowed, and looked down. Slowly, she nodded. "Yeah…" She murmured. "I understand."

Her Master stared at her. Long, and hard, his gaze met hers. He nodded. "I'll bring Kairi here… and then I suppose… we shall explain you, Aqua." He gave her a tired, though proud look, and he gave the girl a gentle pat on the head. Aqua smiled, and her eyes became brighter, doe-eyed. She was probably reminiscing. Then, the Master turned to Terra. He reached out, and gave the boy a gentle pat on the shoulder, and a kind smile.

"I'll never thank you enough," the Master said, "for taking care of this girl in my absence. Trust in me, Terra, when I say that if you needed anything, anything at all, you may ask me."

Terra stared at him. His eyes widened as it sunk in. "Really?" He asked, surprised.

"Yes." The Master nodded, and Aqua smiled a little.

"Can I marry Aqua?"

The Master's face fell, and Aqua looked like someone had ripped her into several different emotions. One was shock. Gaping, wide eyed. Another was embarrassment. Blushing, shifting nervously. Another was anger. Clenched fists, gritted teeth. He smiled a little. He had only really wanted to see her reaction, though his stomach twitched at the thought of the question.

"I'm only kidding, Master," he said, though his eyes were on Aqua. "I don't think Aqua would deserve me anyway."

"Deserve?" Aqua's voice was dripping with annoyance. "I don't understand what you're saying."

Terra tilted his head at her. Had he not made it obvious? "Aqua, I've killed people." He stated this fact, shame evident in his features, though he stood tall. "And you don't deserve someone like that, right?"

Aqua's scowl was enough to tell him no. No, it didn't matter to her. No, Terra couldn't look at himself like that, or else the blue-haired girl would scold him. "I can choose whomever I'd like!" Aqua snapped. "If to say I ever wanted to get married! If I chose to marry you, Terra, I wouldn't think twice about the people you've killed. That's the past, and you can't help it… I've been by your side for years, and… and Terra, don't be stupid. You deserve more than you believe. Than you've ever believed."

_If she chose to marry him…_ He began to flush a little. Oh, why had he brought this up? _Because he was in love with her._

He didn't deny it this time. He only flushed a darker shade of scarlet, and turned away. The Master cleared his throat. "Terra…" He said slowly. "I cannot give you Aqua- I don't have that kind of right to her. But, if she decided…"

"I really was only kidding, Master." Terra cut him off. He looked up at the man's dark eyes, and smiled. "Really."

The Master still looked skeptical, but he didn't seem to care too much anymore. "Alright, Terra…" The man said. "If you say so."

"I do."

"Alright."

_I'm in love with Aqua. I'm in love with Aqua._

The thought alone brought a chill down his spine. Love. Love! What a silly, worthless, yet priceless thing. His uncle would scoff at the thought. His uncle. His uncle was very, very smart. He had figured out Terra's feelings for Aqua long before the boy had even thought of the possibility himself. And that was why she had been stabbed.

Terra stood a little straighter watching the Master walk out of the room. He was expendable because there were two other Keyblade Wielders at hand. They were all expendable. Aqua included. If Xehanort were to find out about… the new realization… Aqua would…

She'd be dead. Xehanort would kill her in a heartbeat- he'd tried before, and nearly succeeded. And that was only because of a hug. What would this do to him? It'd set him off like bomb. A bald, tanned, golden eyed bomb, ready to rip Aqua to shreds at any moment.

So, this is how he came to the conclusion he did.

He was in love with Aqua.

And she could never, ever know.

* * *

Kairi was frightened. She heard footsteps in the halls. What was the Master going to do? What would he say to them? What was going on with Aqua and Terra?

"Riku, what's up with those two?" She hissed, as the footsteps grew closer. "Who are they?"

"My cousin and his childhood friend." Riku replied simply.

"Okay," Kairi muttered. "But… who are they? Why would the Master ask to see them privately? Do you know, Riku?"

Riku looked at her. He was frowning, troubled, obviously, because it showed in his face. He said nothing. He looked around Sora's room, his aquamarine gaze flicking to various objects. Kairi had always liked Sora's room. The cute little bobbles he had lying around, the Keychain she had given him when she had first realized she had Night Terrors (she made one for Roxas as well, but he wouldn't accept it. He said it was a special thing between her and Sora. He shouldn't intrude), a few crowns, a card or two, a vase with a single flower in it that he changed daily for the sake of adding some beauty to his otherwise cluttered and messy room. This was her favorite part of his room. He made an effort to distract people from the mess, and to the single interesting flower sitting at the center of his table.

The door opened, and Kairi jumped, looking at the Master. The apprentices had fallen silent. They stared blankly at Eraqus, confused. Riku spoke first.

"Are you here to tell us what that was all about, Master?" He asked, though Kairi knew he was pleading for some answers.

"No."

This was a shock to Kairi. What? _No_? He couldn't be serious! She opened her mouth to say so, but he had turned to her. The look on his face made her back down. _What did I do, what did I do?_

"Mast-" Kairi began.

"Kairi, I need you to come with me." Her Master said, making the red head stare at him with wide eyes.

"What did I do?" She blurted before she could stop herself. "I… I don't think I did anything against the rules! I…"

"You're not in trouble Kairi." The Master's voice was amused. But Kairi was beside herself. "What?" She gasped. "What? I mean… Master… why do I have to come with you if…"

"I'll come." It was Sora. He stood, and walked to her side, interlocking his arm with hers. The Master stared at the bright boy, and shook his head.

"No, Sora." Sora looked up at Eraqus, a flash of hurt crossing his features. "Kairi has to come alone."

"Why?" Riku asked, standing. "Why the secrecy?"

"It's not a secret. You'll all find out later. But Kairi has to find out first because it directly concerns her." The Master glared at the boys. "Is that clear?"

"No." It was Roxas this time. He got up off the bed, and frowned. "No. It's not clear at all. Why can't we all find out this 'secret' at once?"

"Because I'm not sure Kairi would want anyone to know about it." Eraqus said, his gaze flickering to the girl.

It was her choice then? "I want them to hear it." Kairi said. "I don't care what it is, I want them to hear it."

"Listen to what it is first, and you may change your mind."

"Honestly, Master Eraqus, with all due respect, I don't think so." Kairi glanced at her friends, who stared at her.

"No, Kairi. Now come with me, please." And with that, the Master was gone. Out the door. Kairi watched him, and felt the need to run after him. So she did. The halls were winding, and she rushed down the steps to catch up with him. Her eyes were wide, and she had no clue what this was about. He didn't speak, and neither did Kairi, though she shot a few irritated looks at him. She got scarcely a glance in return.

Then came to the landing of the stairs, then turned into a hallway. She knew this hallway well. She knew what was at the end. But she didn't comment. She let her feet go, and she shot more and more confused glances at Eraqus. What was he doing?

And then they came to the door. She was so confused, she barely registered the fact that he had opened it, until he pulled her inside the room. Kairi blinked, and looked up. She was staring at Aqua and Terra- both of whom were sitting in the chairs that were usually empty, except for when the Master sat there. Kairi frowned, and looked at Eraqus.

"Master?" She said in a low voice. "What's going on?"

Her Master let out a sigh. He gave Kairi a sort of sad look, and shook his head. "There's something I must tell you, Kairi."

Kairi frowned. She wasn't liking where this was going. "Alright, Master," she said, even though she was very uncomfortable. She looked at Aqua and Terra again. The stared at her, Aqua with the same sad look as Master Eraqus, and Terra a bit impassively, as if his mind was somewhere else.

"I…" The Master frowned deeply. "I meant to tell you. Before this, I really did, and honestly, I am so regretful I kept this from you."

Kairi stared at him. She _really _wasn't liking where he was heading. What was he talking about? Dread bubbled in her stomach. This couldn't be that bad, could it? Could it?

"Aqua, Terra…" Eraqus looked to the teens. Terra's head snapped in the Master's direction, like he had been jolted with electricity. Aqua still looked sad. "Let Kairi sit. This may be too much for her."

Aqua immediately nodded, and stood. Terra blinked, and stood as well, waiting until Aqua to begin walking to move himself. Kairi shot a glance at Master Eraqus, before slowly making her way to the chairs, and sitting in the center one. The trio- Eraqus, Aqua, and Terra- stared at her. They seemed just as frightened as her.

Eraqus closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "Kairi," He said, not looking at the girl. She squirmed in the seat. "Yes, Master?" She replied. The man finally looked at her. He looked older than she'd ever seen, like he'd aged in an hour.

"Kairi, do you remember the stories I told you and the others about the wall? And the dangers surrounding it?"

Kairi stared. She nodded slowly, cautiously, remembering her own experience.

"Do you remember what happened to my son?"

Again, Kairi stared, and nodded very, very slowly. She glanced at Terra and Aqua. She didn't understand what was going on.

"Do you remember the girl I took in?"

Kairi frowned deeply this time. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she looked at the Master confusedly. "I don't remember her, but you've talked about her. Why? Master, what's this about?"

"What did I say about the girl?"

Kairi didn't like this. She began to chew on her lower lip worriedly. Her stomach was squirming. She glanced upward in thought. "Um…" Kairi murmured. "Not much. She went to the wall one day, and was either killed or kidnapped. That's it. Why? Master-"

"Look at Aqua, Kairi."

It was Terra that spoke. Kairi's attention went directly to him. The man that had saved her, Roxas, and Sora. She stared at him in confusion, and she tried to understand what was going on. She blinked, and looked to Aqua. Her light blue hair framed her face in short spikes, and her eyes looked at Kairi with a sad fascination, and confusion. Her face was soft looking, and a little familiar, but not quite. Kairi looked back at Terra, confused as hell.

"What about her?" Kairi asked, squinting back at Aqua. She saw nothing significant.

"Please, Kairi." Terra said, his voice giving off a pleading quality. "Really look at her."

Kairi looked back at Aqua. She squinted her eyes even more, trying to see whatever Terra was talking about. She noticed Aqua was kind of pale. Compared to Kairi's tanned complexion, she would be. Aqua was actually very pretty, now that Kairi looked. Her face looked like it had been sculpted from marble. A pretty impressive feat.

"I'm sorry," Kairi said, looking away from the trio. "I don't see anything."

Terra sighed at this. He looked at Eraqus, and shrugged. "I tried."

"She wouldn't see anything in Aqua." Eraqus looked almost amused. "It's understandable."

"Kairi." It was Aqua. Kairi looked up, and stared at the blue haired girl. "Kairi… My name is Aqua."

"I know," Kairi said, snorting a little. "You told me."

"I wasn't finished." Aqua said, frowning. "Kairi, my name is Aqua. I… I'm sure you don't remember at all, but if you could just think…"

"What?" Kairi's eyes darted to Eraqus. "Master, what's going on?"

"Kairi. There was something I never told you about that girl. The girl who I took in." He looked sad, and solemn, the circles under his eyes much more prominent.

"Tell me then!" Kairi shouted, taking both Aqua and Terra aback. They looked at each other, wide-eyed, before looking back at Kairi. "Tell me what this big secret is, Master!"

"Kairi…" Eraqus closed his eyes. "Kairi, I'm sorry. That girl… I took her in because Cordis asked me too, but I wasn't planning on it. That girl was simply left on my doorstep by her mother, who was the maid of honor at my wedding. On some level… I felt I was really related to the girl. But, you know what happened to her in the end." He still looked solemn.

"I know this." Kairi said quietly.

"Yes." Eraqus said. "But what you don't know, is that that girl was not an only child. Her mother… had some troubles. She could not stay in a relationship, I suppose. She died when that girl was three. But not before I found I had another child to take care of."

"There was another one?" Kairi gaped, not making the connection. "Seriously? What happened to her?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Kairi's face was contorted in confusion. "What do you mean nothing- oh."

There was silence. Kairi's eyes were wide. She just processed it. She was that girl… that girl's sister. The Master never even mentioned it. Kairi had just thought… just thought that the Master had taken her in because of some screw up, or that she was really related to him. But… she never…

"Kairi." It was Terra. "Kairi, look at Aqua again."

"What?" Her gaze snapped to Terra. Her voice sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Why?"

"Please, just do it."

Kairi blinked, and glared at him a little. She looked at Aqua, and frowned. Blue hair. Pale face. Big blue eyes- no. Wait. Kairi stared at the girl blankly. Here eyes… they were…

They were exactly like her own. Vibrant, deep blue, like the ocean itself.

"Oh…" She whispered. She slumped in her chair, still gazing at Aqua. "Oh my God…"

Aqua stared back. Her mouth moved, but Kairi didn't hear the words.

She was too busy fainting.

* * *

_Lol. You like de fluff I give you? Just wait. Loads more next chapter. Seriously. I should just rename it: FLUFF CITEH! WHOO!_

_Yeah. This one was pretty fillerish too (this hole subplot is kind of fillerish, but there's gotta be a vacation of sorts before things get ugly. Hopefully they'll be back in the Dark Region in two chapters, and I can work with mai man again. Oh, Vanitas, how I love to write you..._

_Sooo... I was thinking. I should switch the characters this story is about. Cause there's more Teraqua than VenNami (sadly. Teraqua comes easier to me. :/). So I was thinkin' putting it as Namine and Aqua. Yes or no? Change or not?_

_Kay, I'm off, it's four AM._

_Next Chapter: No Music (yum I had fun with this one)_


	32. No Music

**White Knight: Thirty Two :No Music (AKA Get ready for some fluff)**

Aqua stared at her younger sister in awe. "She fainted!" Aqua gasped, while Terra snorted a bit. Eraqus frowned deeply. The Master walked toward the chair, and gave Kairi a gentle prod, before picking her up and slinging her over his shoulder.

Aqua stared at him blankly as Terra turned his head to hide a snicker. "Master, what are you doing?" Aqua asked, eyes widening.

Eraqus paused to look at her. He looked a bit… distressed. Almost frightened. "Aqua, I do not trust Kairi to… not have a nightmare."

Aqua was taken aback. "Excuse me?" Aqua stepped forward, and Terra stepped back to avoid her. "You think she's going to have a nightmare? Why?"

Terra watched as the Master closed his eyes. "She had a terror last night. I don't want her to harm herself or anybody else… I will bring her to her room. That way if she wakes up, Sora and Roxas will be close by." Eraqua walked past the duo, and Terra frowned. He perked a little.

"Hey," Terra said, stepping forward a bit. "Master. Can we go see Aqua's old room?"

Aqua looked up at him sharply. "What?" She hissed under her breath.

Terra smiled at her. "I want to see what you were like at four." He admitted. "Any different than you were at six?"

"I can't remember." Aqua said quietly. Terra looked at her, then at his feet. He shrugged.

Eraqus glanced back at the duo, before turning, and walking to the door. When he stood in the doorway he finally spoke. "Do what you'd like." Then he was off. Neither teen noticed the small smile on his face.

"Okay, let's go." Terra said, grabbing the blue haired girl's hand. Aqua glared at him, annoyed by his excitement. "I wasn't really that interesting, Terra." Aqua whispered as the boy dragged her down the hallway. "You shouldn't be so excited about it…"

Terra sighed, and shook his head. He stopped at the stairwell, and turned to her. "You don't understand." He said, his face looking incredibly hard, and expressionless.

"Really?" Aqua asked, raising an eyebrow. "What don't I understand, Terra?"

Terra didn't answer. He looked away, his cheeks burning slightly. _She doesn't understand that I love her_, Terra thought. _If she knew I doubt she'd question it._ Terra closed his eyes, and walked up the steps. Aqua followed close behind, staring at his back with wonder, and irritation. What was going on with him?

"Which floor?" Terra asked, looking back at Aqua. His blush was gone. Aqua frowned deeply. "Third." She said quietly. She then looked up at him. "But, Terra-" But Terra was already walking again. Aqua sighed, and followed after him. It was like they were kids again. Terra would run off, and let Aqua try and follow.

"_You're really slow, you know that?" Terra observed one summer evening. Aqua looked up at him. Her long, raggedy blue hair was tied into two makeshift braids sitting on her shoulders. "Excuse me?" The seven year old asked, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm faster than you!" She shouted. Terra snorted at this. "Yeah," he said, rolling his eyes. "Right." _

_Then he ran away._

_Aqua couldn't catch him._

Eventually, though. Aqua reminded herself. Eventually I got faster than him.

But for years this was how it was. Terra leading the way, and Aqua following. She would've done anything back then (she still would, but on a smaller scale). If he asked her to jump off a cliff, she would've. If he told her to run away, she would've. If he told her to punch him, she would've after a little persuasion.

She was feeling so nostalgic today…

She smiled a bit. But she was with Terra. She was having a normal day with Terra. When was the last time this had happened?

She couldn't really remember.

She began to skip a few steps walking up the stairwell. She was getting excited herself. She wanted to talk to Terra. Just blurt out all her secrets like she used to- Terra had known her like the back of his hand when they were younger! But now…

She was keeping secrets from him. One of them being Vanitas. He didn't know that he'd kissed her. Or that she was asking him questions. Maybe it was best he didn't know, though. Maybe…

Aqua finally caught up with her friend, jumping to his side, and keeping in time with his footsteps. She looked up at him, and smiled brightly. He blinked, and gave her a little smile back.

They reached the third floor, and carefully crept down the hallway, knowing Eraqus was on this floor. Aqua led Terra down the hallway, and to the room she had never thought she'd visit again.

It was much like it had been before when she had visited. Blue, childish. Dusty. Terra immediately walked to the bed, and bent down. He stood up and turned around, and Aqua saw what he had picked up. It was the picture frame she had dropped that night. She stared at it, and slowly walked toward him, closing the door behind her.

When she reached his side, she peeked over his shoulder at the picture. She barely recognized herself. The girl in the picture was obviously underweight, but healthy looking all the same. She wore baggy clothes probably situated to fit a male child, and her shoes were scuffed, torn at one point. Her hair was shoulder length, tangled around her face in bright azure strands. Her eyes were a shade of deep cerulean, not too dark, but not too light. They were wide, saucer-like things, set in her face like marbles, framed by a light row of dark eyelashes. In her hands was a gray Keyblade, one that she knew belonged to Master Eraqus. The man was standing behind her, looking slightly amused by the toddler.

"Wow." Terra commented, smirking slightly. "You were a cutie."

"Thank you." Aqua laughed. "But I didn't change much between three and six."

"That's true." Terra mused, placing the frame back on her nightstand. "You were still scrawny, bug-eyed, and adorable."

"Ha ha." Aqua scowled, turning around. She smiled when she saw the window seat. How many nights would she have spent sitting, reading, stargazing?

Many nights indeed.

Terra turned, and took in the room with a sweep of a glance. "Hmm." He said, smiling a bit. "This is definitely an Aqua room."

"You think?" Aqua asked, twirling a piece of hair beneath her fingers.

"I know." Terra chuckled. "Better than anyone."

"Even Ven?" Aqua asked, pouting a bit.

"Yes." Terra said, glancing at her. "Even Ven."

Aqua turned, and walked toward her window seat. She was about to sit down when she noticed something resting on the floor between the bed and the window. She blinked, and bent down, picking it up.

"Oooh…" She whispered, sitting down on the dusty seat. She examined the cover of the worn book. "Wow."

"What's that?" Terra asked, appearing beside her.

"A book." Aqua whispered. "It was my favorite before that one about the Light and Darkness."

Terra looked down at her, then gently slid the book from her hands. He examined the cover, and rose an eyebrow. He looked back at her. "Winnie the Pooh?" The brunette said, a chuckle rumbling in his chest. Aqua blushed slightly."Yes." She muttered.

Terra tossed the book onto the bed. "Sounds like a funny book." He said, looking back at her.

"You never read it?" Aqua gasped.

"I never read stories. The only fairy tales I know are the ones you've told me." Terra shrugged. "It's a Dark Region thing."

Aqua looked down, and frowned deeply. "Wow…" She murmured. "You… never read…"

"I know how to read." Terra said sharply. Aqua looked up, and tried not to laugh at his expression.

"I know, Terra." Aqua giggled.

Terra glanced away, and frowned. He looked back at her. He smirked. Aqua's eyebrows rose immediately.

"Terra…" Aqua whispered. "Terra, I don't like that look."

He grabbed her arms, and yanked her to her feet. Aqua yelped. "What are you doing?" She gasped.

Terra pulled her from the window so they'd have more space. He smiled at her, and Aqua stared, confused. "Terra, what…" She yelped as he spun her around.

"Dance with me."

"What?" Aqua cried, her eyes going wide. "Where did that come from?"

"One of your fairy tales." Terra said softly.

Aqua stared at him. He just… randomly conjured something up from a fairy tale she had told him years before?

"You're crazy." She breathed, smiling slightly.

"I know…" He muttered, glancing away from her face.

"Terra…" Aqua said quietly. "Terra, there's no music."

"I know." He murmured, pulling her a little closer. He tried not to look too satisfied when she blushed.

"Terra," Aqua said as he began to lead her. "I'm not good at dancing."

"Neither am I." Terra said, his eyebrows raised. "Let's see how disastrous this ends up, shall we?"

That managed to get Aqua to giggle. "Terra…" She shook her head. Terra smiled, and took her hands. She looked down, probably awed by how dainty and pale her hands looked in his large tanned ones. Gently, Terra began to swing their arms from side to side.

"What kind of dance is this?" Aqua asked, as she began to shuffle her feet along with the imaginary beat he was swinging their arms two.

"The best kind." Terra said with a small, dry chuckle. "The kind we can't screw up."

Aqua smiled. "Must be some dance." She said, a giggle evident in her voice.

"Oh, it is." Then, Terra spun her, and she yelped in surprise. When she stopped, she laughed and began to dance freely without him leading her. To his surprise, she didn't seem embarrassed at all with her dancing. Though Terra wasn't dancing quite as freely as he, he was still enjoying himself, managing to spin with her at the right time, catch her in a hug while she was twisting, and hold her hand almost all the while.

He was very glad he had come up with this.

Aqua's lithe body seemed to be moving perfectly with his own. She was laughing, probably at herself, and joyfully twirling herself, her hand still in his. Her eyes were shining brightly with happiness, and Terra knew his were probably echoing the same joy.

"This is really fun!" Aqua gasped, as he began to swing their arms again.

"What?" Terra asked, mocking a hurt expression. "You doubted it would be?"

"I will never doubt you again, Terra." Aqua laughed, and he spun her.

"You better not." Terra smirked, catching her mid spin. She yelped as he pulled her back to his chest, and stepped carefully in a rhythm.

Terra could feel her skin begin to heat up. It made his own skin heat. He swallowed, and frowned.

"Terra?" The blue haired girl asked.

"Yes?" Terra asked, blinked down at her.

"This is nice." Her breathing was uneven. She was obviously out of breath.

They kept moving their feet. There was no music. What were they imagining? "Yeah?" Terra asked, focusing his attention on a certain piece of blue hair that wouldn't stay put.

"Yeah…" She whispered.

Terra swallowed again, and frowned. "How so?" He asked.

"I…" Aqua said. "I don't know. It just feels… nice. Natural." She smiled up at him.

Natural. Right.

Terra spun her around again and she yelped. She laughed again as they went straight back into motion, dancing around each other with goofy grins on their faces.

Aqua was soon out of breath, clutching her chest as they spun. Terra immediately stopped out of worry for his friend (secret love). She yelped as she crashed into him, and both teen, out of breath and extremely tired, tumbled onto the floor.

Aqua had landed next to him. Her head was on top of his left arm. Their chests heaved, the dancing causing surprising drops in their energy.

Even after they recovered their breath, the duo stayed there.

Just laying on the ground.

Then, Aqua pounced on his arm. "Ha ha!" She cried, sliding her hand under his chin, and brushing her fingers against the underside of it. Just where the chin met the neck, creating a sensitive area of flesh. Right away a low rumble appeared from Terra's chest. It turned into full booming laughs after a few moments of tickling. "Gotcha!" Aqua laughed, her eyes twinkling.

Terra hated being tickled.

Aqua's eyes widened when she realized what he was about to do. She tried to jump back, but it was too late. Terra had already grabbed on of her arms. He grabbed the other, and twisted himself so he was on top of her, and her arms were pinned against the ground.

He scowled at her. "I thought I told you never to tickle me." He said, though he was blushing slightly. Not enough for her to notice, at least.

"I couldn't help it!" Aqua gasped, though she was still giggling.

"Oh really?" Terra said disbelievingly.

"Yes!" Aqua was now full on laughing. He could feel her chest heaving beneath him. Tears were appearing at the corner of her eyes.

"You better stop laughing, Aqua." Terra said darkly.

She looked at him, looking almost hysterical. "Or what?" She gasped between laughs. Her eyes were sparkling gleefully. She was really enjoying herself.

But he couldn't help it.

He swooped his head down, catching her gaping lips in his own. The laughs were silenced immediately. She stiffened beneath him. Terra froze, his lips still on hers, regretting doing this with every second that passed. He was afraid to open his eyes.

But suddenly, he felt Aqua's lips begin to move against his own. Her tongue slid into his mouth, and Terra was more than shocked to find himself… doing the same.

He released her arms, and wasn't surprised when he felt her fingers entangle themselves into his tough brown hair. He wrapped his arms around her waist, almost timidly, and felt her lips turn upward against his.

He pulled back first. His eyes flickered open, and he found himself so close to Aqua's face, he could count the freckles on her nose. He had never even known she had freckles.

Her eyes slowly opened as well, and she stared at him. Then, she flushed deeply. "Oh…" She breathed.

"Oh…" Terra whispered, staring into her wide cerulean eyes.

Then she kissed him again.

* * *

_OH SHIZ! THE FLUFF! THE FLUFF IS CLOUDING MY VISION! HELP! I'M DROWNING!_

_Yeah. I thought it was a decent kiss considering I'm a total stranger to the world of romance. *Jabs finger to sign on chest that says '13'*_

_I didn't want them to dance at first, because it seemed so corny, but I couldn't think of any other way to get them worked up enough to be on the floor gasping. So, basically, I thought about that scene with Harry and Hermione in Deathly Hallows and altered it to make it Teraqua-y and romantic instead of friendshippy and comforting. Gotta love how I became such a softy for this chapter. Don't expect much more of it. Seriously. I hope you sucked up the cute, blinding fluff while you had it, because from here on out it's angst, angst, shouting, angst, Nami fit, angst, angst, and... well not THAT much angst, but it ain't happy._

_Call this subplot a relief from the batshit crazy plotline before it gets batshit crazier._

_Next chapter, and THE END of the subplot (I bet some of you are singing with joy): Cuts like a Knife_

_And yes, my children (who are all most likely older than I), I meant that quite literally. No Vanitas next chapter, though I meant to put him in. He didn't make it. Don't worry, there will be loads of him and his sexual harassment later._

_DANI IS BACK TO REGULAR UPDATING! SO REVIEW FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! REVIEW! Do you remember what happens when my children (Except for Angel. I'm totally Angel's little cult follower. POWER TO THE WOLFE!) don't review?_

_People get hurt. *Points to next chapter title*_


	33. Cuts Like a Knife

**White Knight: Thirty Three :Cuts Like a Knife**

Terra's lips parted as Aqua leaned forward further. Her lips were tender against his, and nothing about the kiss was forced. It was so natural, Terra didn't even realize they were kissing until Aqua made a small noise, something between a giggle and a moan, and Terra's eyes snapped open.

He was an idiot. This was exactly what he didn't want to happen. He didn't want Aqua to get hurt, and though he knew that kissing her was probably one of the best feelings he's ever had, it was all wrong. He couldn't do this to her. With Xehanort so closely watching her, starting something like this… he was such an idiot! Hadn't he just sworn to himself that he was going to keep Aqua safe at all costs? This was insane of him. He was an idiot for even starting the kiss in the first place.

He pulled back from his best friend, and currently the girl he was in love with, and he sat up, clutching his head in confusion and anger. Aqua stared at him, her eyes wide with shock, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and possibly pleasure.

"Terra?" She gasped, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

"Don't _touch _me!" Terra growled, jumping away from her fingers as if they were aflame.

Aqua cringed, a look of pure hurt crossing her features, and her eyes widened in a sort of shocked and teary eyed way. "I'm sorry?" She whispered. "What did I do? Did I do something wrong, or am I no good…" Terra's shoulders slumped, and he looked at the girl he had spent more than half of his life with. She looked smaller than he had seen her in years, quite like the child he had picked up in the courtyard of Xehanort's mansion.

"No." Terra said, his gaze softening. "No, Aqua, you're great. Better than great, really, you…" He trailed off, noticing her expression was worsening rather than brightening.

_That's not what I meant_, She thought. _What if kissing Vanitas did something to me? Why else would Terra…_

"Terra…" Aqua whispered, staring at the tan boy with a confused gaze. "What's wrong?"

Terra stared at her, trying to take in everything about her. Every single freckle on her nose, every shine in her eyes, every askew lock of hair. Because he wanted to preserve this memory in his mind for good. Just in case…

He swallowed, and stood up, turning away from his azure haired companion. "Aqua, forget this ever happened." He whispered, glaring at a bright yellow star that hung from Aqua's mirror.

"What?" Aqua croaked.

Terra gritted his teeth. "Aqua, promise me you'll forget about this. All of it. It never happened."

"Okay…?" She squeaked.

"Promise!" Terra spun around to face her, only to find her shoulders slumped, eyes distantly scanning Terra's features.

"I swear." She said, her voice clear in his mind. He blinked down at her, and he relaxed a little.

"Okay…" He said slowly. "Okay. Let's go before the Master thinks we ran away, alright?"

"We told him we were going to be in my room," Aqua muttered, walking past him and opening the door. Terra didn't sense anger coming from her. But he could tell she was saddened.

"I know." Terra murmured, watching her turn a little to smile sadly at him, before disappearing out the door.

Terra looked down, and turned his head to peer back at Aqua's old room. Dusty, and blue. It was beautiful, and so suiting for her. But Aqua outgrew it.

Aqua didn't belong in the Light Region anymore.

* * *

"Oh."

Ven- no, Roxas, was standing in front of her, with his arms folded across his chest. "I won't be mad, Aqua." He said, his face looking completely serious. He looked so much like Ven, but his personality was so much dimmer. "Please just tell me."

"I…" She said, backing away from the boy. "I'm sorry, Roxas, I…"

"Please." Roxas whispered, his eyes widening desperately. "I've been convinced for years that I killed him. Do you have any idea what it feels like to kill your own brother, Aqua?" He stepped toward her, his face transfixed in a sort of anguish. His wide blue eyes looked like they were watering, but she couldn't tell now. He looked like Ven. And it broke her heart to see him.

"No, Roxas." Aqua whispered. "I… don't know… and I'm sorry."

"You called me Ven." Roxas whispered.

Aqua stared at him. She looked down. "I know…" She murmured.

"Then tell me!" He shouted, grabbing his head in frustration. "Tell me how you know him!"

"I can't!" Aqua shouted back, his anger, and sadness hitting her like bricks. "I'm sorry, I really am, but I can't help you!"

Roxas's chest heaved, and his face screwed up in confusion. He closed his eyes and looked down. "You know him though." He whispered. Aqua stared at him. She could hear Terra's footsteps behind her. "You know him, don't you?" He looked up at Aqua, eyes desperately searching for something in her face. Anything to tell him his brother was alive.

Aqua swallowed. "I…"

"Roxas." Terra said, his voice slightly strained. Roxas looked at him. Aqua didn't look behind her. "What's going on here?"

"She knew Ven's name." Roxas said. "I just want to know if he's okay, alright?" He looked away. He was breathing heavily. And Aqua felt sympathy for him. She stared at him, and felt the utter need to hug him, and tell him everything was fine. But he wasn't Ven, she had to remind herself. He was just his brother.

"Fine." Terra said. "You want to know if he's okay?" Aqua looked up at her tan companion in awe. Terra was actually going to tell Roxas? She felt a swell of admiration and slight annoyance that Terra could do this and she couldn't.

Roxas stared at Terra, his eyes widening. He nodded slowly. Terra walked past Aqua, and she watched as he stopped in front of Roxas, bending down until they were at the same height.

He tapped the boy's chest, and smiled a little. "Come on. Do you believe your brother's alive?"

Roxas stared at Terra, eyes widening. "Y-yes?"

"Then…" Terra gave the boy a gentle thump on the chest. "Let your heart tell you."

Roxas looked down at his chest, then at Terra incredulously. "I think…" Roxas said slowly. "I think he's in the Dark Region." His gaze flickered to Terra. The tan boy smiled a bit, and shrugged, standing up straighter.

"Come on, Aqua." He said, brushing past the blond boy. Aqua stared after him. "Where are we going?" She asked, running to catch up with him. He turned back, and looked at her solemnly.

"Home." He murmured, before turning around again, and disappearing down the hallway.

Roxas watched, shocked, as the duo disappeared. But he knew something.

Ven was okay. He was in the Dark Region.

How was that okay, anyway?

Roxas frowned, and began to think hard about how exactly Riku got from the Dark Region to the Light Region and back.

* * *

Aqua trailed behind Terra, her eyes downcast. She really felt bad for Roxas. Ven was his little brother right? He must've felt so responsible for what happened to him. She decided if she ever came back to the Light Region, she would tell Roxas about the state in which Terra and Aqua found Ven.

Also on her mind was the kiss that she and Terra shared. First of all, she never in her wildest dreams thought she'd have to chance to kiss Terra. In fact, until this day, she had never considered him more than her best friend. But he was so much more precious than that. She hadn't realized it until today.

But she didn't quite understand why he had pushed her away. _He_ had kissed _her_. Not the other way around. She didn't know what to think. He had kissed her, almost as if he had planned it, and then… he just pushed her away. Why?

She shrugged off the strange feelings, and told herself she'd figure it out. Terra had a reason, and she could live with it. Her eyes trailed along the mansion walls, as she thought about her life then and her life now. All the complications that had built her life, all of the hardships, and terror. Was it all for nothing?

What did she want to do? She certainly didn't want to grow old as a maid.

So what was she to do exactly with her life?

Aqua closed her eyes as she approached the large door, and listened as Terra opened it. This was it. They were going. For good, maybe.

But the Master forgave her. He actually accepted her back. It was amazing, and shocking, and thrilling all at once.

She opened her eyes, and they trailing towards Terra's back. She had never noticed, really. Well, she noticed, of course, that he had gotten stronger, and brawnier, but… she had never really paid much attention to exactly how much broader his shoulders had gotten, or how his muscles had grown to a point that she could see every curve beneath his shirt. She blushed, and ripped her gaze away from him. One kiss (two, actually) and she was going crazy. She had never really thought about him like this. Ever. It was strange, and new to recall the flush of his skin when her lips brushed his. But it never happened, she told herself. If he says it didn't, it didn't.

Even after all these years, Aqua would still follow Terra like a puppy.

And she would never mind it.

As Terra stepped into the room, the sound of a struggle became evident. If she had been paying more attention she would've heard sooner. Terra cried out in a sort of shock, and he dove away from the door. Not before grabbing Aqua's arm and pulling her with him, of course. She gasped, falling onto her side and sliding across the floor. For a moment she was dizzy, disoriented.

Then she saw him.

His face was tan, much unlike the pale one she was so used to. His normally bright and happy eyes were shadowed in something like anger, and pain. Instead of hair like midnight, and eyes like embers, his hair was a warm chestnut color, and his eyes blue, faded and unnatural, but still blue. His lips were curled in something of a snarl, teeth clenched, and bared. His fist had connected with the door that had swung shut behind her and Terra, and he howled, not in pain like Aqua thought, but in anger.

He spun around on them quickly, his eyes darting wildly, unfocused and somewhat desperate to cling onto some kind of light. Aqua stared at him, her head telling her that Vanitas must be pulling on Sora's strings, like a dark puppet master. Like in her marionette story. He would be perfect for the role.

But Vanitas was not here, nor was it possible that he had taken over Sora somehow. Aqua was almost furious with the raven haired boy, and knew quite well that when she got home she was going to tell him off.

But she couldn't she realized as she rose to her feet. Then Vanitas would know she had been in the Light Region, and that _would not_ be good.

So she stood, slightly stunned, watching the usually hope filling and happy boy round on Terra, running to claw at him, no weapon required for the job he wanted to do. Dizzy with shock, she watched her brunette friend miss Terra altogether when the older boy simply sidestepped the younger one. Sora scrambled to get back up, making inhuman noises that caught in his throat and were distributed as sort of hisses and growls. She had seen many things in her life. Many deaths by Keyblade, and many fits by Naminé. But never had she seen such a pitiful and horrifying thing in her life. It was like a demon had leapt into her friend and held him in a choking grasp.

Sora was quick to try and get up, on his hands and knees, making an almost shushed soothing sound, crackling on his tongue. Aqua was quicker. She pounced on him, dodging a swipe, and pinning his shoulders to the ground. This left him temporarily shocked, and disoriented. He blinked at her, and for a second she thought maybe the old Sora had returned. Hope swelled in her chest, and for just a moment her grip loosened on his shoulders.

A moment was all he needed.

Immediately she was flipped onto her back, and the shouts of Terra and… Riku, she believed, filled her ears. But she could not listen for long. She was frozen in terror, watching Sora move, quick as a whip (and she knew quite well how fast they moved). There was a stinging pain in her cheek, as a flash of silver obscured her vision. Her eyes were glued to Sora's utterly blank face, fear bubbling in her stomach, and turning it upside down. She felt the warmness of the blood that trickled down her cheek

Something cold and sharp sunk deeply into Aqua's shoulder, and she gasped as she felt it move deeper into her skin. Her eyes widened, and she howled in pain as the blade slipped right through her skin, and pinned her to the floor beneath her. Sora's nose brushed hers, and there was a hint of satisfaction in his smile before all emotion was wiped off his face entirely.

Aqua's arms and legs quaked in shock, and pain as Sora was torn off of her. Not before she noticed the look of pure terror, and shock that crossed his face as he was thrown against a wall, and promptly punched. Aqua dug through the pain, and digested the look that had crossed Sora's face, before she finally looked to the wall where the painful _smacks_ were coming from. She gasped, and tried to sit up, only to collapse back down with a screech of pain. The blade's handle was now digging painfully into her wound. She gritted her teeth, and flinched as another _smack_ came from the wall. She reached her hand to the blade and wrapped her fingers around its tiny hilt, and bent her head down to bite down firmly on Terra's coat. She yanked the dagger out of her shoulder, making a small noise in protest and pain, before dropping it beside her and stumbling to her feet.

She clutched her wound with her right hand, feeling the blood seep through her fingers and drop in small beads onto the floor. She tripped forward, and took the risk of letting go of her shoulder to grab onto Terra's wrist, just as he was about to go in for another punch. Her friend looked down at her, confused, then he looked at the limp boy he was holding by the collar, and stepped back. He dropped Sora in the process, and Aqua dropped to her knees beside the boy, placing her bloodied right hand on his swollen cheek.

A greenish glow appeared beneath her palm, and Sora's eyes fluttered open, revealing something much bluer, and much more beautiful than the dark shadowy eyes she had seen on her attacker. He stared at her for a few moments, before his face twisted in horror when his bright sky blue eyes fell upon the hole in her shoulder.

"I hurt you…" He whispered. "Oh my… Oh my _God, _what did I do?"

"It's fine." Aqua said, her voice shaking feebly. She rested her bloody hand on the shoulder wound, and she felt the easing sensation of being healed rush through her, relaxing her . She pulled her hand back to reveal nothing but a hole in Terra's jacket, and her peach colored skin. "See?"

"It's not fine!" Sora gasped, shaking his head vigorously. "There's… there's something wrong with me…" He had turned sheet white, eyes bulging from their sockets.

"There's nothing wrong with you." Aqua tried to soothe, seeing not Sora, nor Vanitas when she looked at the troubled boy, but Ven. She managed to brush some sweaty brown spikes out of the boy's wide blue eyes, and she gave him the sweetest smile she could muster.

"I hurt you." Sora said, and he seemed to be hyperventilating at this point. His eyes became watery, tears pooling on the edge. He squeezed them shut, looking away in shame. "I… I didn't mean to, but I did, and I can't… I can't even remember it. There's— there is something wrong with me!" Sora screamed this with such frustration and despair, his voice cracked in a heartbreaking way, and the boy grabbed his head, and tore at his hair as he shoved it between his knees in minor hopes he would become calm.

Aqua stared at him, and reached out, hoping to help the boy, but she was pulled to her feet. She looked up, expecting Terra to look at her sadly. But to her shock, it was her Master's dark eyes staring back at her. He looked just as sad as she expected Terra to look.

Her Master looked at Sora, and closed his eyes. "You three must leave now." He said in a strained voice. Aqua felt her heart begin to tear a little at his tone. He could barely keep the hurt from his word.

"Master…" Aqua whispered, her eyes wide.

"Please, Aqua." Eraqus said, letting go of her. "I need to speak with Sora. And I believe that people will get suspicious of you being gone for so long…"

Aqua's hands began to shake, and she thought, maybe for a moment she wanted to stay in the Light Region. But then she thought back to the kiss with Terra (which she was supposed to be forgetting), and she nodded in agreement, flashes of Ven and Naminé running through her mind.

"I…" She whispered, stepping back from the man who had saved her at a young age. "Master…"

"Go." The man murmured. "Go now, before Kairi wakes up."

She took another step back, tears welling in her eyes. She didn't want to leave him. Or Kairi. They were her family.

But so were Terra and Ven.

Terra took her hand, and grabbed Riku, whom Aqua had barely realized was in the room, and all three Dark Region dwellers took one last look at their Master and friend, before disappearing from the room, and into the night.

* * *

_That time skip with Roxas happened right after Aqua got into the hall. FYI. _

_Sorry it took me so long. Watching Code Geass. Messed up show. You'll see where it began to corrupt me next chapter. XD_

_Not much else to say. Review pwease? PWEASE?_

_Next Chapter: This is Even_


	34. This is Even

**White Knight: Thirty Four :This is Even**

It was dark out. But somehow Riku managed to get them back to the hospital in one piece. Hope was still sitting at Vanille's side. The young girl had just woken up, and was now chattering away with him, happiness shining in her eyes.

Riku, Aqua, and Terra stood, watching them long enough to see that if they left Hope, he'd be fine where he was.

But apparently he had to come back.

Aqua thought this was a stupid idea, but she submitted to it.

"Hope." She called, the first to break their line of silence, stepping forward towards the boy and his friend. Both Vanille and Hope turned to stare at the blue haired girl. Vanille in awe, and Hope with a sudden depression.

"Hope, we're leaving." She said slowly, glancing between Hope and Vanille. Hope's shoulders slumped. "You know you can stay, Hope." Aqua said softly, her gaze flickering back to Vanille.

Hope looked at her, and immediately shook his head. "No." He said quietly. "No way. I can't leave Light. She doesn't like to admit it, but she gets lonely. If I leave… Lightning is nothing. She wouldn't have anything to be happy about, because everyone she ever cared about would be gone. I can't do that to her."

Vanille tilted her head at him, and giggled. Her voice was incredibly high, and Aqua could pick up the sweetness of the accent in her voice. "That's the Hope I know!" She said, smiling brightly. Her hair was down, resting on her shoulders in reddish-pink curls.

Hope looked at her, his eyes wide with a bit of surprise, before he managed to smile a little. "Th—" He stopped, and looked down. Vanille peered at him, and leaned forward, shaking his shoulder.

"Hello?" She asked, her accented voice ringing through the air. "Hope?"

He looked up at her, and laughed a little. A bit too forcefully, in Aqua's opinion, but it satisfied the foreign girl, who grinned broadly.

"I'm fine." Hope said, glancing at the trio who were there to retrieve him. He looked back into the girl's oval shaped face, and placed his own gloved hand on her own. "Thank you, Vanille." He said, his voice bearing subtle cheeriness, that made the fuchsia haired girl's smile broaden even more. "For… everything." This sentence made the grin slide right off the girl's face. Hope's voice hinted very strongly that this was goodbye.

The final goodbye.

Before Vanille could object, Hope had moved away from her. She reached for his hand when he let go of hers, and Aqua watched as she missed by centimeters. Vanille's eyes had widened in shock, not understanding what was happening. She was probably hazy from the day, having a house collapse on her.

"Hope?" She said, her eyes widening even more. Hope stopped in front of Terra, Aqua, and Riku, before turning his head back at her. He smiled, and waved.

"If we don't meet again, Vanille," Hope said, his eyes trailing away from the girl's face, "I hope you have a really, really great life."

Aqua stepped aside to let Hope pass, leaving the hospital first. She couldn't help but put herself in Vanille's shoes. What if Terra did that to her? She'd feel awful about it. But honestly, she'd probably continue living, and try to have a great life. Just because he told her to.

That's what she would do, anyway. She couldn't speak for Vanille.

She turned, finding it increasingly hard to throw a look back at the girl, just for pity. She looked up at Terra, and found her legs began to move by themselves, pushing her away from the hospital. Away from the Light Region.

To wherever hell took her.

The snow crunched beneath her feet. Her head was spinning with the confusion and the hurt. Sora had attacked her… but it wasn't Sora, right? He had just had a little spell like… like Naminé. It was nothing. Sora was still Sora. He wasn't…

Her thoughts were betraying her. She was doubting that the boy she had met today was really who she had begun to believe he was. She didn't see Sora when she looked into his eyes that day. No. She saw Vanitas. That was all. That was all…

That was all she knew of now. That face haunted her. Already… it plagued her conscience.

So what was she to do? She knew who she was. She was Aqua. Terra's best friend, Ven's best friend. The glue.

Yes. He had been right. She was the glue. And she did not object.

If she was the glue, then she had to keep the three of them together. Without them…

Who was she, anyway?

* * *

The light tapping bounced off the walls of the airy room. For it's grandeur, it felt awfully stifling. And empty.

Empty because the young girl that was usually held in this domain was currently babbling on about birds.

"Little Bird, Little Bird…" The blonde whispered, as her companion watched her miserably. "Little Bird. Little Bird…"

"Please…" Ven whispered, closing his eyes. "Naminé. Come on, please stop it."

"Little Bird, Little Bird…" The girl in white answered, her dazed eyes moving very little to the left.

Ven slumped, and turned away. Maybe he should call it a quits after all…

"_Ventus. If Naminé_ _proves to be catatonic, I'd like you to send her to me."_

Yeah right. Like hell he'd send Naminé to a creep like him!

"Little… bird…" Naminé whispered. "Little… Oh!"

Ven's head shot up at the ringing sound of Naminé's voice. The different tone, and different syllables. It sounded so nice!

"Naminé!" Ven shouted, flinging his chair back, and kneeling by her side. The blonde girl's foggy blue eyes slowly flickered to his face. She tilted her head at him, and her mouth opened in slight recognition.

She rose her hand, and placed it on Ven's cheek. The blond boy grinned, and grabbed her hand, gripping her tiny fingers tightly.

"Naminé…" Ven said, laughter edging into his voice. "You're… you're okay!"

Naminé's heavy lidded eyes scanned his face, a smile still sitting ghostly on hers. She giggled, and closed her foggy blue orbs, tilting her head in a way that made some of the unruly blonde curls slip forward onto her face, hiding her cheek and obscuring her nose.

"Mister Ventus…" Naminé whispered, smiling a little wider. "Manservant…"

"Yes, Naminé!" Ven shouted excitedly. "Yeah! It's me!"

"Mister Ventus…" The blonde said, her smile growing into a wolfish grin. "I am going to die."

* * *

"Get some sleep, Aqua." Terra said, throwing a glance at her as they entered the mansion. It was quiet. Some maids were bustling around. A few looked her way, remembering her status was once the same as theirs, but others just kept walking hurriedly.

Aqua stared at her friend, and looked down. She nodded, and turned away from him. Riku had gone with Hope to do rebel stuff. Terra was going to follow after them, but only after he saw Aqua return safely.

"Right." Aqua nodded. "See you later, Terra." She turned, shoving her hands in the pockets of Terra's very large coat. She blinked and looked down at it.

"Oh," she murmured. She spun around to look back at her friend, who was already at the outside. "Terra, do you want your coat back?" She asked walking toward him.

The older boy blinked, and looked back at her. He managed to chuckle a bit, and shake his head. "No." He said quietly. "No, keep it."

Aqua felt herself stiffen in place as he smiled at her, before turning away and disappearing from sight. Aqua snuggled into the collar of his coat, sniffing the earthy fragrance. She smiled to herself, and turned, walking down the dimply lit hall with a bounce in her step.

Her room was a floor above Terra's. That meant she had to go through his floor to get there. No matter… there was a chance Aerith was there anyway.

She walked, getting deeper and deeper emerged in her thoughts. What did that kiss mean, anyway? That Terra… felt the same way she did? It was possible. She understood why he wanted her to forget about it all. It was all very dangerous, and she didn't want to put Terra into the situation where… where…

Oh, she lost her train of thought.

She squinted around as she walked, realizing she was on Terra's floor. Almost to her room. She smiled, and moved forward, the end of the hall in sight. She had already passed Terra's room. Nothing to do about that.

She stepped forward, her foot on the first stair leading to her floor. She reached out to hold onto the railing, and grasped it, pulling her other foot up with her.

Then she was yanked back by her hair.

She cried out in shock as she was twisted violently, and dragged from the stairwell. She couldn't get a good look at her captor, but a nagging in her stomach already told her who it was. She did not fight.

A door banged open, and she was thrown with a surprising amount of strength into a wall. All breath left her for a moment as her spine hit, and temporarily left her shocked into stillness.

The door slammed shut, and in her dizziness she couldn't tell where she was. Stars clouded her vision. She was scared, but not incredibly so. She felt the heavy footfalls against her cheek as the ground beneath it shook. She winced as she was grabbed roughly around the neck and yanked to her feet. Her head was slammed into then wall with such force she realized she was going to drop unconscious soon. That couldn't do…

"Look at me." A familiar voice growled. Her head lolled a bit, and she tried to blink away the stars.

A hand, slim and ghostly, came up and gripped her face. She was forced to look into the boy's deep molten eyes once more.

"What do you want?" Aqua groaned, the stars beginning to disappear. She rubbed her head, and glared half-heartedly at the raven haired boy.

"You talk to me so freely now." Vanitas said, his voice still bearing incredible anger. "Is it that you've become dependent of me?"

"I'd like to see you dead." Aqua said in absolute monotone. "That's a fact, Vanitas."

"Very well." Vanitas said, his eyes narrowing. "But I'd like to speak to you about something pressing."

"Do tell, then." Aqua said through gritted teeth. "I have no choice but to listen, right?"

Vanitas growled again, this time bringing her head forward and smashing it back into the wall. Aqua gasped, feeling light headed. "I want nothing more than to _kill _you, you awful little wench!"

"Thank you!" Aqua rasped, looking up at the boy's twisted features. "I'm flattered!"

"Dammit…" Vanitas hissed. He ground his teeth together in anger, and he glared at the blue haired girl. "You kissed Terra." He said, his golden eyes narrowing into slits.

"Is that what this is about?" Aqua gasped, her eyes widening. Then her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How did you even know…"

"I can sense it."

Aqua's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's very creepy, Vanitas. Even for you."

Vanitas shrugged a shoulder, and twisted her face a little. "The thing is, I don't know what to do with you." His voice, usually sardonic and malicious was so distorted by anger, she barely recognized it.

"I don't know what you intended to do in the first place." Aqua said calmly, raising her hand and placing it on the boy's shoulder. He was wearing regular clothes. She never saw him wear anything but that awful suit. Refreshing.

"I intended to confront you about going to the Light Region." Aqua's eyes widened slightly at this.

"What?" Aqua gasped.

"Don't deny it." Vanitas said his grip tightening around the girl's neck. She winced and glared up at him.

"Fine." She growled. "I went to the Light Region. Happy?"

There was a burning sensation in the room as Vanitas's Keyblade was called forth. Aqua closed her eyes as she felt the blade brush against the skin of her neck. "Master Xehanort told me if you ever confronted Eraqus about your origin I could terminate you." The boy whispered, his nose brushing hers as he drained himself of all emotion. As she opened her eyes, she found the blankness of his golden eyes more frightening than the ferocity in them previously.

Her breathing had hitched as she thought quickly. Would he kill her?

No. He couldn't. Not now.

Aqua placed her hand on the Keyblade against her neck, and looked up at Vanitas, mimicking his expressionless mask.

"Kill me then," Aqua said, drawing the blade closer to her throat. "Really. Go on. Do it."

Vanitas's eyes had widened enough that Aqua knew she had him cornered. He couldn't kill her. Not yet. Aqua smiled, satisfied. "I win." She whispered, pushing the Keyblade and its wielder back.

The raven haired boy stumbled, staring at Aqua with shock. "You aren't afraid of me anymore, are you?" Vanitas asked, his eyebrows raising.

Aqua stood up a little straighter, and rubbed her neck. She closed her eyes, and shook her head. "No. I'm not."

Vanitas gave something of a scoff, and banished his Keyblade. He stared at Aqua, tilting his head a little. "Fine." He chuckled. "So be it."

Aqua looked away, toward the door. She didn't feel like speaking to the boy anymore. He couldn't kill her, and he had already hurt her as much as he could for now.

But… why had he been so angry?

Aqua's eyes widened, and she looked back at Vantias. Vanitas rose an eyebrow. "Nice face," the boy sneered.

"You're jealous…" Aqua whispered suddenly. Vanitas blinked, and glared at her.

"You really are stupid." The boy remarked.

"But you are!" Aqua gasped, slapping her forehead in annoyance. "Oh, no, Vanitas…"

"I'm not denying it." Vanitas said, rolling his eyes. "I thought it was obvious. I don't like to think I'm not the only one who has tasted you now. I'd at least of liked to see you go to your grave with your only kiss coming from someone like…"

"Someone like you?" Aqua offered. "Yes, that thought has given me nightmares, don't you worry."

Vanitas smirked, and stepped forward. Aqua rose an eyebrows.

"Well," Vanitas chuckled, grabbing the girl's shoulder. "I should fix this."

"What?" Aqua asked, her eyes trailing to his hand on her shoulder. "Fix what?"

"Hmm…" Vanitas pushed her against the wall, and Aqua blinked, her eyes widening. The raven haired boy peered into her face, raising his fingers to brush them against her lips. "You two kissed twice." He stated, making Aqua stare at him.

"How do you know this stuff…" She whispered, before she saw Vanitas's grin.

"I call this even, then." He hissed, leaning down (though only a tad) to crush his lips against hers.

* * *

_You think this is creepy? Next chapter creeps me out. Really, really, REALLY creeps me out._

_And it's very Vani!Centric._

_Anyway, finished Code Geass. Wow. They're making another season right? _

_I'll make a poll for the changing of the names later._

_Hope you liked the VanAqua! Please review, PLEASE! I get lonely when there's no reviews. But there IS always those loyal ones. Gotta love you guys ( you know who you are. :] Can't type you all out, because I gotta run.)._

_I miss Angel-cake... Hope to see her out and about soon. School must be crushing her._

_Next Chapter: One of a Kind_


	35. One of a Kind

**White Knight: Thirty Five :One of a Kind**

She simply could not take it anymore. How infuriating it was to have this boy whom she loathed stick his tongue down her throat whenever he saw fit! And now… he was only doing it because he was jealous of Terra!

She squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to think quickly about what to do. He was holding back this time. His tongue had barely brushed her lips. What did that mean? He felt… sorry, somehow? Yet he was holding her so tightly…

She clenched her fists in frustration. She wasn't going to kiss him back this time. He was tugging on her last nerve. She wouldn't stand for this!

But… now that she thought about it…

Vanitas was a mystery all in himself.

He had just appeared. Out of nowhere. Like Naminé.

He never had friends. He was always just quietly observing everyone, silently hating, envying them.

Vanitas.

He truly didn't belong anywhere.

That's why…

She gently leaned forward, putting more pressure into the kiss than she had originally intended to. Before Vanitas could react, she pulled away, tearing her lips from his, and placing her hands on his shoulders to keep him away. It helped not, for their noses were still touching.

Aqua stared into his eyes, cold, unforgetting. She closed her own, and leaned her forehead against his. "I pity you…" She whispered. She felt her words sink into the boy, making him stiffen.

"I don't need that nonsense." Vanitas growled.

"I don't care." Aqua said, opening her eyes, and sidestepping away from him. "I pity you either way."

"I've killed dozens," Vanitas said, leaning against his wall. "Tortured more. Forced myself on you, stolen kisses, threatened your friends, made you swear to do something out of line." The boy leaned forward, his eyes widening in a questioning way as he gazed at her. "And you're pitying _me_?"

"I pity you because there is no you." Aqua said, stepping away from him slowly. "I feel sorry that you never had the chance to be a human being, Vanitas. And that you had to ask me to do something so horrible." She closed her eyes again, and pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry that… that you are here, and not with your family, and I'm sorry that you're a killing machine. I'm sorry your humanity has deteriorated into almost nothing, and I'm so, so sorry that I won't be able to help you." She looked up at him, and took another step back.

He watched her in silence.

"I'm sorry your only friend hates you, and I'm sorry you don't understand what's going on in your heart." Aqua stepped around the bed, and placed her hand on the footboard. "I'm sorry that your head is so full you can't think clearly anymore. And I'm sorry you've gone insane for whatever reason." She took another step back. "I'm sorry that you have to do what your told, and I'm sorry you're alone. I'm sorry you never got the chance to have a normal childhood, and I'm truly sorry I'll never be able to get to know the person behind the persona, and threats." Aqua took a rather large step backwards, and placed her hand on the door knob.

"And…" She said, glancing away from Vanitas's face. "I wish you could change. Maybe we could be friends, maybe…" She trailed off, and frowned, before turning the doorknob and disappearing from the room.

Vanitas stared after her, his eyes widening as he slumped against the wall.

* * *

"_Don't move," the child whispered, placing his hand on the other boy's shoulder. He obliged, freezing in place. His breath was rattled, and he felt claustrophobic under the white sheet. His brother's eyes were widened in such a frightening way, he squeezed his eyes shut to try and keep himself from fidgeting in discomfort. The cement beneath them was cold, and paint cans all around them kept the pair firmly against the wall._

_The brother's hand shot out suddenly as footsteps sounded on the creaky wooden stairs above them. The boy opened his eyes, and felt his brother squeeze his hand, face set in utter terror. Breath had hitched in their throats as a light peered through the darkness at them. Through the white sheet that was speckled red and orange from the paint, they saw a yellow light hanging dully in front of them. The shadow of a man stood behind it. _

_Neither boy could breathe. They were frozen in fear, staring unblinking at the silhouette, praying for relief. They wished to be saved, and to live past this day, begging that they would be alright in the long run._

_The boys watched as the shadow got closer. The dark blob that could only be a meaty hand reached out._

_The sheet was ripped off of them._

_They screamed._

_A bullet sunk into the younger one's side._

_The screams continued, but changed._

_One was of shock, and fear._

_The other was of agony, and terror._

The scream echoed through the room, ripping through the air. It caused the white child to jump from her bed and stand by the boy's side in shock.

"Ventus?" She gasped, her hand springing to her mouth as she peered at her friend closely. "Manservant?" She whimpered when the screaming continued.

She stared at him, and dropped to her knees, placing her hand on the boy's shoulder. He was tense, his fists clutching his hair. His screams were bouncing off the walls, hitting the girl's ears full volume.

She swallowed, and gently rose her hand, placing it on his head. She ran her fingers through his hair, listening to the strangled screams of her very dear friend.

"Is this what I put you through, Manservant?" She asked, her voice bitter. He continued screaming, and tears began to form at the corner of his eyes. "I am disgusting, then." She muttered, glaring out the large window leading to the snow covered balcony. She stroked his hair, and shifted so she was sitting cross-legged. She pulled his head into her lap, and shook her head when he ceased his screaming, and submitted to slumber.

"You're so funny, Manservant!" Naminé giggled. "I wish I didn't like you, because then I wouldn't feel so bad about what I'm doing to you." She brushed a piece of hair from his face, and shrugged.

"But I guess I can't help it now. You're just too cute!" She laughed, stroking his cheek.

She sat in silence for a few moments, watching tears spring from the boy's eyes, and settle on his cheeks. Naminé frowned. "You're face is wet, Mister Ventus," she said softly, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry."

She began to run her fingers through his hair again, feeling him tremble. Every so often a noise would escape his lips. Something like a sob.

She hummed quietly, her fingers tracing the spikes of his hair. "_When I grew up and fell in love, I asked my sweetheart, 'What lies ahead? Will there be rainbows day after day?' Here's what my sweetheart said. 'Qué sera sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Qué sera sera.'_"

Ventus did not get better. Nor did he get worse.

So she sat and waited, listening to his stifled cries.

* * *

"Vanitas." The Master barked, entering the basement of the mansion. The masked boy hopped to his feet. He heard a chuckle come from a staff member.

"Will Naminé be ready by the appointed date?" The old man asked, peering at his creation. Vanitas stared at the man through his tinted helmet, and glanced away from his face. He shrugged, glad that his mask kept his expression hidden.

"She should be. I can't say she'll agree to it though." The masked boy muttered.

"She doesn't need to agree to anything," Xehanort said, chuckling himself. "That's why we created Xion."

"Yeah." Vanitas yawned, turning away. "Whatever."

"Show some respect for your elders, boy!" A scientist shouted. Vanitas turned to him, recognizing him immediately.

_Pain. Fury. Anguish. Sadness. Envy. Lust. _

_Hate. _

_Everything felt new. The metal slab beneath him. The tickle of his hair on his neck and cheeks. The brush of soft skin against his arm._

_His eyes opened. His vision was completely blurred. He blinked a few times, those seven emotions whirring in his head like a cyclone. He blinked a few more times, watching as a face appeared before his eyes. A twisted, pallid, crazed face of a lunatic in a lab coat._

_Vanitas wanted to rip the man's nose off and make him swallow it._

_He sat up, much to the man's excitement, and took no notice to the fact that he had been laying on a metal table, naked. He looked at the man as he began to babble away in gibberish to him. Vanitas tilted his head, and brought upon his face the widest smile he could muster, before nodding. The man looked ecstatic. Until Vanitas kicked him in the groin._

"Elders?" Vanitas scoffed. "Just because your old and barren doesn't mean I have to respect you, crusty nerd."

The man looked livid, like he was about to pounce on Vanitas at any moment.

"Are you forgetting who created you?" The man shouted, pointing a finger at the boy's chest. Vantias rolled his eyes.

"Technically," Vanitas said, walking toward the metal table he had first awoken on, and pulling himself up onto it, "it was that blond dude who created us. But whatever floats your boat, hermaphrodite."

"_What did you just call me_, you insolent child?" The man wheezed.

"Her-maph-ro-dite." Vanitas smirked. "Say it with me, crusty."

"Why you—" The man screeched.

"Silence, Vexen!" Xehanort shouted, and Vanitas smirked some more. Yeah. He won.

Xehanort turned to the masked boy. "We need Naminé before we can start the check up."

Vanitas shrugged. "She's probably playing house with that twin," he said, twisting his helmet, and setting his mane of unruly black hair free.

"Her servant?" Xehanort asked, peering at the boy as he began to unzip his suit.

"Yep. Good luck trying to get her down here. She never liked check ups. Don't blame her," he glared at Vexen. "They're highly invasive."

"Well she'll have to cope." Xehanort muttered. "I'll have someone go fetch her. Don't start the check up until she's down here."

"She's going to scream." Vanitas sighed, sliding out of the organic feeling second skin.

"We'll knock her out if she gets too out of hand." Vexen said, fiddling with a few needles. Xehanort exited the room, leaving Vanitas and Vexen alone.

"Are you going to take off your undergarments?" Vexen asked, turning from the needle tray. Vanitas's face twisted in a look of disgust.

"Crusty old pervert." Vanitas grumbled, folding his arms across his bare chest. "I'm not taking them off, so deal with it."

"Teenage rebellion." Vexen sighed. "I suppose we can just knock both of you out."

Vanitas thought over this option, before cringing. "Uh, no. You've joked far too much about Naminé and I creating super-baby. I'll stay awake and make sure you don't do anything rat shit crazy, alright, pedophile?"

"I am not a pedophile!" Vexen hissed through gritted teeth.

"That's why you make Nami and I strip every time we do this, right, Vexy?" Vanitas asked sweetly, batting his eyelashes.

Vexen spluttered for a moment, before turning away. "It's all part of the procedure." The man muttered.

"I don't see why we have to strip for a check up…" Vanitas yawned, laying down on the table. "Naminé's got enough mental issues, but you have to mentally scar her every few months with these check ups? That isn't very nice."

"I will not have you—" Vexen was cut off by the basement/lab door sliding open.

Vanitas sat up, and watched as a rather burly man with sideburns roughly pushed to tiny girl into the room. She squeaked, falling to her knees next to the crumpled heap that was Vanitas's suit.

"Good, you're here." Vexen said, picking up a rather large looking needle. "Now, I suppose we're going to have to do this the hard way, hmm?"

Vanitas rolled his eyes as Naminé whimpered, and shrunk back. "Just strip, okay? Either way you're going to have your clothes off."

Naminé looked up at him, and looked away, flushing. Vexen walked toward her, needle in hand, and grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. Her eyes widened, and she began to scream.

Vanitas watched, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, boredom etched across his face. "Let her go and see what she does." Vanitas smirked.

Vexen glared at him, and continued to tug on the girl's arm. Finally, when the needle was brushing her arm, she shrieked in a strangled voice, "Okay! Okay! I'll do it!"

Vanitas peered at her, and noticed her cheeks were streaked with tears. He pursed his lips, and looked away as the girl backed up from Vexen, and turned, her cheeks bright red.

Naminé had a lot more will power than he'd ever seen.

That wasn't a good sign.

* * *

_Vanitas grinned, watching the blond man fall to his knees, making strained noises. How fantastic it was to hurt people! How amazing to hear the pained cries of others!_

_Vanitas was ecstatic. What a beautiful revelation! He could hurt anyone! _Kill_ anyone! Wonderful! Brilliant!_

_The seven emotions twirled in his head, giving him strength, power._

_He was magnificent. _

_He could kill without mercy._

_He was perfect._

_He understood well what his purpose was._

_To destroy humanity itself!_

_Vanitas chuckled, and laid back down on the metal slab of a table, not minding the cold against his bare skin._

_He was alone in the world. One of a kind. Made from another, but with a soul of his own. He was a lone being. Not human in the least._

_He was created from someone else._

_He was one of a kind._

_He smirked, satisfied with it all._

_But it did not last._

_A small voice called to him in gibberish. _

_Vanitas turned his head, and his smoldering eyes met the crystal clear blue of another's. Someone… laying next to him…_

_Someone…_

_Who made it very obvious he was not one of a kind._

* * *

_Yes. That's Nami at the end. Yes. I am a fan of VanNami. Yes. They're both naked in the last part. *Snicker* Yeah. I TOLD YOU IT WAS CREEPY! Don't ask why I took this turn. I like it. It gave me a chance to make Vani and Nami closer. _

_This chapter also provides foreshadowing and flashbacks. My two favorite things. XD Yeah. This isn't the last time we see Vani in the nude. Though I was a little more reluctant to shove a nude Nami scene in there. I guess I'm more comfortable being a pervert towards a male character. Which is all very well because I'm straight, and it's Vanitas. :P_

_NOM! So, I don't know how long this is going for. Yeah. But I do have a basic plan of what's going to happen until the end. EXPECT UPDATES!_

_As I expect reviews. Remember. Review=Update._

_And a review from Metrifyx and Divine Wolfe equals UPDATE FRENZY! I'd ask you to poke them but The Divine Angel-Cake Wolfie is very stressed with school, so I no push her. _

_OKAY! Done with my Author's Rant. XD_

_Next Chapter: Common Sense (Oh yes, I'm talking about you again, Vanitas. You've become a personal favorite of mine. Just because I can ship you with anyone (and yes. That means the boys too. I mean REALLY. Bad move with the 'Join with me. Right here and now.' ARE YOU ASKING US TO QUESTION YOUR SEXUALITY?))_

_Gotta get up at eight tomorrow, so I bid you farewell! *Salutes*_


	36. Common Sense

**White Knight: Thirty Six :Common Sense**

Ven awoke to silence. His head hurt, and his throat felt dry. He also noted that he was on the floor.

He sat up, and held his head, massaging his temples. He felt like a truck had hit him. And how had he ended up on the ground? Ven looked around tiredly, and his eyes widened a bit when he realized he was in Naminé's room. Pale sunlight streamed through the large window, casting a yellow glow against the white walls of the room. Ven slumped, and ran a hand through his hair. He had fallen asleep in Naminé's room again. He was so doting toward the girl…

He yawned, and threw his arms back in a stretch, his eyes watering as his mouth opened wide. He stood up, stretching his arms back some more until his back cracked, leaving him looser than before.

He scanned the room, frowning deeply as he sat down on his friend's large white bed. Something was very off. The room was silent, as usual, but it gave off a very empty chill. Ven's eyes drooped considerable, and he scratched his head, trying to figure out what exactly was wrong.

Then his head shot up in sudden realization.

He spun around, scanning the room once more, his eyes flashing in panic.

Naminé was gone.

It was stupid of him not to notice. The room so often occupied to small girl…

_Where is she?_ He asked himself, spinning around the room a few times, as if he had missed her the first time.

She wouldn't run off without him, right?

His stomach twisted in sudden panic.

Right?

Ven felt his feet move before his mind even registered the fact that Naminé could be in potential danger. He was at the door, swinging it open with surprising force, and entering the hall, skidding to a stop as he spun around quickly to get a full view of the hall. No one. Not a soul.

The blond stood in silence, spinning around a few more times, waiting for Naminé to jump out and surprise him, laughing at him like it was one big joke. But she did not pop out from anywhere, and the more he stood the lonelier the hallway got.

Ven was in the middle of an apocalyptic daydream where he had somehow managed to be the last person in the world (he was already thinking of raiding the kitchen and devouring all the cake) when he noticed someone had entered the hall. He blinked away the image of fluffy white frosting, crossing out that option from his mind.

He quickly ran towards the person… persons, rather. The duo walked side by side, staring at him blankly as he ran toward them. They probably expected him to run right past. He did not.

He slid to a stop right in front of them, his eyes wide with worry, and fear. "Riku!" Ven gasped, "Xion! I… Miss Naminé, she's… she…"

"Ven?" Riku asked slowly, his electrifying blue-green eyes scanning the blond's face. "What happened? Is Naminé alright?" He sounded wary.

"I don't know!" Ven shouted, throwing his arms up in the air to exaggerate. "I just woke up in her room— don't give me that look, Riku, cause for once I know what your thinking— and she was just… gone!"

"Gone?" Riku asked, looking amused. "Are you sure she isn't just playing hide and seek?"

"Uh, yeah." Riku said, rolling his eyes. "She usually tells me before-hand so I make an effort to find her."

"You're making an effort now," Riku pointed out with a small smirk.

"Shut up, Riku!" Ven whined, throwing his hands over his eyes. "Have you seen Naminé at all today?"

Riku stared at the younger boy, and slowly shook his head. "No," he shrugged, grabbing Xion's hand. "Not today. Maybe Aqua's seen her, though. Ask her."

And with that, the two left. Xion threw a look back at him that suggested pity, but Ven was still mad at her for poking into Naminé's mind.

The blond boy sighed, and rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out what to do. Naminé was missing! What was he supposed to do?

Well… now it seemed obvious.

Ask Aqua.

Ven was running through the halls with such haste, a few maids looked back at him. He paid no notice, his speed increasing with every worried thought. He wasn't sure where Aqua was at the moment, but he'd find her…

He had to if he wanted to find Naminé, right?

He was running so fast, he barely heard the sneer of a rather beaten up man.

"Hey, isn't that the witch's man-whore?"

Ven immediately skidded to a stop, rounding on the man with an abrupt scowl on his face. He had only processed 'witch' in that sentence, while it took a few moments to realize the man was insulting him as well.

"She isn't a witch." Ven growled, clenching his fists. "So shut up!"

"Oooh!" The man turned around, as did his burly side-burned companion. "The kid's got a mouth on him. Nice glare too." The man winked one eye. The one that wasn't in an eye patch.

Ven gritted his teeth. He recognized this man. He had always been a bastard to Naminé, and Aqua. He paused for a second and words flew out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Have you seen Naminé?" He asked, his voice coming out tired.

The man tilted his head, and snorted. "Lost her, huh?" He asked, smirking widely. "That's what you get for sleeping on the job."

Ven felt his stomach clench in recognition. How did he know Ven had been sleeping? His sky blue eyes narrowed, and he took a step toward the scarred man. "Where is she?" He growled, his fists trembling at his sides. "Where did she go? Did you take her somewhere?"

"Down, boy!" The man hooted, as his companion simply rolled his eyes.

"Relax," the side-burned man said coolly. "Miss Naminé was do for a check up. That's all." The man barely took a look at Ven's face before striding forward, the scarred man following close behind, cackling.

Check up?

Ven's shoulders slumped. Naminé had always despised going for check ups. It was the only time she acknowledged his existence, really, before a few months earlier. She had screamed, and cried, and outright refused to go.

If this was so, how had he not waken up when one of Xehanort's men came?

Ven slowly began to walk forward, deep in thought. He heard a long creak, signaling someone had opened a door. Ven sighed, and looked up at Aqua's worried face. She was leaning in the doorway of a room he didn't know, staring at him with a small grimace on her face.

"Ven?" She asked, brushing some hair out of her eyes.

"Aqua…" Ven looked up at her, eyes tired. "Do you know where Miss Naminé goes for check ups?"

Aqua stood in the doorway silently, her eyes trailing away from the blond's face. Her shoulders slumped, and she nodded. "It's the basement." She said quietly. "I… went there once to bring Naminé down. It was forever ago. When I was still working for Naminé."

"Wow, really?" Ven asked, getting excited. "Can you take me there?"

Aqua glanced away from his face. "Ven…"

"Please, Aqua?" The boy begged, his eyes widening as he looked into her eyes. He was… eye level with her.

"I don't know, Ven," Aqua sighed, and she pushed her hair out of her face. "Um…"

"Aqua, Naminé really hates check ups." Ven said, his eyes wider than Aqua had ever seen them. "I'm worried about her. I fell asleep on her floor, but I can't remember getting there. Please?"

Aqua stared at his eyes, and sighed deeply when she noted the desperation, and the cuteness Ven had added into his eyes to make it harder to say no. She scratched at the wooden door frame, and slowly nodded.

Ven grinned, and his face transformed. "Thanks, Aqua!" He shouted, stepping away from her. "Come on! Lead the way!"

But Aqua was much more skeptical.

* * *

_She had never seen such lonely halls. The whole structure of them was just awful. Naminé clung to her arm for support, staring fearfully at the other end of the hall. Aqua wasn't sure why. Her long blue hair was tickling her cheeks as she tried to soothe the younger blonde._

"_Shh…" Aqua whispered, stroking the girl's hair. "It's okay, Miss Nami. You don't have to be afraid. It's just a check up, right?"_

_Naminé __simply whimpered, and shook her head, burying her face in Aqua's arm. Aqua was twelve, nearly thirteen. She felt she was getting old. She couldn't handle Naminé like she used to._

"_Come on, Naminé." Aqua cooed, pulling the child further into the hallway. "You were in here just last week. It's not that scary…"_

_Naminé whimpered again, and furiously shook her head. Aqua sighed, and stopped at the heavy looking metal door. There was a panel next to it. Aqua supposed it would open if she opened the panel and typed in the correct code. But she did not know what the code was, or even how to open the panel, so she simply knocked thrice on the door. It made a loud ringing that sprang into the air._

_Naminé shuddered as the door slid open moments later. Aqua glanced down at her, frowning. She was obviously very troubled about this place. It was just a check up… really, why was she being so…_

_Aqua's eyes trailed into the room, and her cheeks turned bright pink as she spotted the naked boy sitting on the steel slab of a table, staring nonchalantly at her. She wanted to quickly rip her gaze away, but she was too horrified to move. _

_She watched as a man took notice to her staring, and tossed a very large lab coat over to boy, concealing anything Aqua didn't want to see. The man motioned for her to enter, and she shakily obliged, tearing her gaze from the naked boy, whose eyes followed her as she moved._

"_U-um…" Aqua stammered, looking up at the man. "I was told to bring Naminé down here, but…" Aqua shot a glance at the nude boy, who was still watching her intently._

"_Oh, please," the man chuckled. "Don't mind him. He's just very interested to meet a girl. Other than Naminé, he's had very little interaction with females."_

_Aqua swallowed, and looked away from the boy, flushing. "Was he born in a cave or something?" She muttered, hugging Naminé as she trembled._

"_No," the man said, his strange bottle green eyes twinkling. "But he might as well have been."_

* * *

It was only now, walking down that very same hallway that Aqua realized the who the naked boy had been. Recollecting the memory, she had tried to forget everything about the boy, which was why she never recognized him. Of course the boy would be Vanitas. Who else? His golden eyes followed her even then.

Thinking back, this was probably the time when Vanitas had come to serve Xehanort.

What had he been doing down there? Why had he been… naked?

And why was Naminé so afraid of it? Besides Vanitas…

And why was she the only one to get check ups?

Why...?

Aqua closed her eyes as Ven rapped on the metal door, the ringing sounding just as it did years earlier. There was silence on the other end.

Then the door slid open.

Ven stalked into the room first. Aqua was a little more cautious of random nude little boys.

"Excuse me?" Asked the same man whom she had spoken to when she was twelve. "What are you two doing here?"

"Naminé!" Ven shouted, his voice exploding with happiness. Aqua peeked over his shoulder, and smiled, spotting the girl leaning against the metal slab table, drawing. She looked up at the sound of Ven's voice, and squeaked in happiness. She jumped to her feet and dove at him, casting her sketch book and pencil away.

"Manservant!" The blonde cried, her usually distant features shining with joy. She flung her arms around his torso, and buried her face in his chest.

Aqua smiled. She never ceased to be amazed at their strange relationship.

"Alright, alright. Please, if you are going to do this, do it later. I still have tests to run…"

"Do them later, overgrown turkey fetus." Aqua cringed at the familiar voice. But she saw this coming.

"I… I will _not_ be spoken to that way!" The man's face turned bright red from rage. But Vanitas simply laughed.

"Go play with your toys, old man." He snorted. "Or else I'll have a talk with Master Xehanort about your behavior towards Naminé and I. Anyone else would call it sexual harassment, don't you agree, Nami?"

Vanitas finally came into view, and Aqua was relieved to find him clothed. Not fully, but clothed at least. He caught Aqua's eye, and smirked.

The man spluttered for a second as Naminé turned to Vanitas, and nodded vigorously, a large pout playing on her lips as she glared at the man. Then he slowly disappeared into the back of the lab.

When he was gone, Vanitas's shoulders slumped, and he rubbed his arms in what seemed to be irritation. Aqua calmly stepped into the lab as Naminé chattered away to Ven about all the 'boo boos' she got from needles. Ven was comforting her best he could, and doing seemingly well.

"Long time no see, my dear mouse." Vanitas grinned, hopping up onto the table, and Aqua tried not to note the black boxers, pretending he was wearing his weird suit instead.

"Hello, Vanitas." Aqua said curtly as she watched Vanitas scratch at his arm. "I'm sorry for… um…"

"Oh, apologizing?" His golden eyes widened. They flickered with amusement. "Really? Too kind, mousey. Much too kind."

Aqua flushed, and turned away. "I hurt your feelings." Aqua whispered. "So I'm sorry."

"But you meant it." Vanitas pointed out, and he scratched harder at his arm.

"I did." Aqua muttered, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm sorry, Vanitas."

"Don't be." The raven haired boy chuckled, as he scratched furiously. Aqua watched in horror as he tore his arm open, sending blood along his fingers.

Aqua gasped, and quickly grabbed the boy's arm. He struggled against her, but quickly submitted when she placed her hand on the wound, healing it instantly.

"Why did you do that?" Aqua asked angrily, pushing the boy away from her when his face became dangerously close to hers.

"My arm is _itchy_, okay?" Vanitas growled. "That damn saggy old grandma put some funny shit in my arm. It itches like hell."

Aqua rolled her eyes. "Are you a baby?" She asked, her voice raising. "Common sense would tell you not to scratch it!"

"I have no common sense," Vanitas commented bitterly.

"Oh?" Aqua asked, raising an eyebrow. She turned from him, and rolled her eyes. "Really, Vanitas?"

"Yes," the raven haired boy growled as Aqua glanced down at him. She could've sworn she saw a light pink tint on his cheeks. "If I had any, I'd never have fallen for you, would I?"

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_WHOEVER CAN GUESS WHERE 'OVERGROWN TURKEY FETUS' IS FROM GETS TEN POINTS AND A COOKIE! :D_

_Filler chapter. But SO worth it when you get to next chapter. Which, by the way..._

_WARNING! NEXT CHAPTER FEATURES A BAAAD WORD! But since this word can be used like, once in a PG-13 movie I think it's fine. I won't use it again, I don't think. It just REALLY fit the moment._

_Next chapter tells of my love for VanNami. So does the one after that._

_I miss Angel-Cake... *Sigh* She'd love all the VanAqua I'm throwing in. Man. GAAAAAH._

_I'm HOPING to update again on Christmas. Just for you awesome readers. :D The reviewers AND the ones who don't review. _

_If I don't update, MERRY CHRISTMAS! *Waves* HAPPY DOCTOR WHO'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL! *Squee*_

_Next Chapter: Fire and Ice. Oh yeah. It's gonna be epic. *Smirkles*_


	37. Fire and Ice

Aqua flushed, and looked away from Vanitas. He was talking so freely about this, it scared her. It was almost like he meant it.

She looked up, and saw Ven's face. It was contorted in confusion. Naminé's was simply blankly staring at Vanitas's. Aqua felt the awkward silence creep up on them as Vanitas jumped off the lab table to tug his skin-suit on.

"Um…" Ven said, rubbing the back of his neck. "So you're a friend of Aqua's?"

Vanitas blinked, and looked at him. "You can say that," He smirked. Ven rose an eyebrow, unsure.

Aqua shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Ven." She said, trying to give her younger friend a smile. Instead she felt her mouth twitch into a grimace.

"Uh…" Ven shuffled from foot to foot. "Okay. I'm Ventus." He said, smiling at Vanitas. The dark boy merely snorted.

"I know," he said, looking at Naminé with a bored expression.

Aqua blinked, and glared at the raven haired boy. "This is Vanitas, Ven." She said, giving her friend a kind smile. "Don't take his rudeness personally. He's being kind to you, in his own sense."

"Of course," Vanitas said, his eyebrows raised. "Because I love being nice to spiky haired orphans. Just look at how I treat you." Vanitas's face twisted into some kind of purse. "Oh, yeah. Loving the spiky haired orphans."

"Don't you fit into that category, Vanitas?" Naminé asked innocently, her foggy eyes widening in suggestion.

"Being an orphan, dear Nami," Vanitas said with a smirk, "requires having parents to begin with, doesn't it?"

This made the blonde girl scowl, and look away. Ven looked between the two, his face set in a look of confusion. "All… right…" He said slowly, taking Naminé's hand. "Nice to meet you, Vanitas."

"It's a pleasure," the black haired teen remarked snidely, watching the duo turn and begin to walk away. Naminé turned her head to glare back at him, but that was it. The door slid shut behind them.

Aqua rounded on the boy immediately. "You could've been a tad bit nicer, you know!" She snapped, glaring icily at her 'friend'.

"What good would that have done?" Vanitas asked, waving her off. He ran a hand through his unruly hair, and shrugged. "He's better off not knowing me. In fact, I don't want to know him. So just shut up, mouse."

"I'm tired of this." Aqua said, clenching her fists. "Vanitas, I'm tired of you. I don't know anything about you, and yet…"

"And yet what?" Vanitas asked, throwing a look over his shoulder. "You like me? Please, save me the incongruous details."

"Incongruous?" Aqua hissed under her breath, following the boy out of the lab. He was scratching at his arm as they headed down the slim hallway. Fluorescent lights lined the walls and ceiling, making the passage too bright to bear. Vanitas looked like a dark speck in a sea of light. Fitting, maybe, but Aqua was just plain angry at him right now.

"You're such a self-righteous fool." Aqua muttered, coming up beside him. He didn't even spare her a glance.

"You think I care?" He asked dully. "Because I'll tell you something, mousey, I don't. Not a bit. Is there any real reason why you're here?"

Aqua's hands trembled in anger, and she wanted nothing more then she strangle him. But he'd probably find this act hilarious, and wonderful. Aqua kept her hands at her side. "Yes," she said quietly, glaring up at the raven haired boy. "I want to know what Xehanort did to my sister."

Her voice rung in the hallway, echoing off the bright walls. Vanitas stopped a few feet in front of her. Aqua glared at him, watching his own fists clench in anger. He spun to face her, golden eyes cold.

"Your sister?" Vanitas asked bitterly, spitting the word from his mouth as if it were poison. "How the hell and I supposed to know that? That was before my time."

"She was nine, Vanitas." Aqua said, her voice quivering. "Nine. You're a year older than her. It wasn't before your time."

"I wasn't here when that thing happened," Vanitas growled, the fibers of his suit squelching as he lifted his clenched fists, tightly digging his fingers into the dark suit.

"But you know what happened," Aqua whispered, staring at Vanitas's back. "Please tell me, Vanitas."

Vanitas bowed his head, and scoffed. "I don't need to tell you," he said stiffly.

"You promised you'd tell me something if I asked!" Aqua shouted, gritting her teeth. "You… if you don't tell me, Vanitas, I won't do it!"

Vanitas spun around at this, his eyes flaring with an unknown fire that had caught in his molten eyes. He strode up to the blue haired maiden, and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off the ground. Aqua's eyes widened in shock and pain as Vanitas gave her the most powerful glare he could possibly muster. Aqua shrunk back, feeling his golden gaze pierce her very soul, tainting it with darkness, burning her from the inside out. She squirmed, trying to clawing his hand off her neck. Then, he threw her.

Her scream sounded off the walls as she hit the wall behind them with a sickening crack. Aqua's eyes bulged out of her head for a moment, before they rolled upward, out of sight. Vanitas watched, amused, as she slid down the wall, a trail of deep crimson following her as she slumped on the ground.

He glared at her, and bent forward, hovering over her unconscious body. He crouched down, rocking on the balls of his feet. His nose brushed against hers. He squinted at her, and slowly placed a hand on her neck, testing a pulse.

He smirked suddenly, and dropped his hand to his side. "You let your guard down around me, mousey." Vanitas whispered, tilting his head at her. "You really thought I wouldn't hurt you just because we made a deal?" The raven haired boy chuckled, and stood up. "You're such a pathetic little creature, aren't you?"

* * *

Darkness had spread over the Dark Region. Snow fell in light fluffy clumps, sticking to the ground. A small girl stood in her room, staring out her large, long window. A messenger bag hung at her side, and a knee length white coat would signal to anyone who saw her that she was about to go outside. Her blue eyes were narrowed, whether in exhaustion or in annoyance, it was not clear. She wore white tights, and boots to match. It really would seem she was planning to go outside.

Her usual companion, the happy-go-lucky blond boy, was nowhere to be seen. One might've been confused, to see her in her room, so calm without him by her side.

But no one would've noticed the difference in her. No one except for him. That was why he was not with her.

She sent him to his room immediately, and he had been hurt, of course. She did not care at the moment. She'd make something up in the morning. She felt like she was going to hurt him, and that was why she sent him away, or something of the sort.

She stood, nearly frozen in front of the frosted window, staring onto her balcony. Shadows were cast all around the room, the white clashing with the black. Her face was a mesh of light and shadows, as was her entire body. It was strange. Everything about it was.

She gritted her teeth in annoyance, before spinning on her heel abruptly, and stalking toward the table. She grabbed her sketchbook and stuffed it into her messenger bag, smashing a white vase as she did so. She walked forward, ignoring the crunch of glass, or squeak of boots against water, as she made her way toward the door. She looked around the room, and brushed the flaxen blonde hair from her eyes. She blinked slowly, before turning and striding out the door.

The corridor was dark, but she did not care. She simply strutted down the steps, giving off an air of almost irritation. The darkness did not bother her, nor did she take to it. She was simply bothered by the whole ordeal. She hated this. She felt empty.

Walking down the hallway, she stopped in front of a doorway. She reached forward, and opened the door, tossing her bag onto the nearest chair, and sitting down, waiting.

* * *

Vanitas had to finish his check up eventually, and his arm had finally stopped itching. He reminded himself that he would never walk out in the middle of a check up again. The itching was crazy.

He yawned as he headed to his room, turning the doorknob, and stepping into it. The door shut behind him, and he glared at his bed, where, of course, Aqua was laying, fast asleep. He would've brought her to her room, but he knew her roommate would ask questions, and plus it would make an awkward situation for her later when the roommate asked why she hadn't come back to her room.

Vanitas unbuttoned his shirt (he was wearing normal clothes more and more often), and carelessly tossed it aside. He wasn't going to sleep in his bed, obviously. But, whatever.

"Don't go do anything dirty, Vanitas," a soft voice said with a hint of monotony.

Vanitas's head snapped to the side, his eyes widening. He made a small shocked noise in the back of his throat, and he stepped back. How had he not noticed she had been there? Was he losing his touch?

His eyes narrowed at the young girl, and he turned to face her. "Naminé," he said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The blonde was sitting upside-down on one of his chairs, a plain white messenger back sitting beside her. She rolled her eyes, the light from outside shining upon her face, making her look alert, and impish.

She flipped off the chair, landing carefully on her feet. She spun to face him, her boots squeaking as she did so. Vanitas's eyes narrowed at her, and he gave her a once over, raising an eyebrow at her attire. It seemed she was planning on going out.

"I was simply curious," Naminé said softly, peering up at Vanitas's face, "about you and Aqua. I assumed right, it seems." She glanced at the bed where Aqua laid, and playfully smiled up at Vanitas.

Vanitas clenched his fists, trying to control his anger toward the younger girl. She seemed… extremely different. He couldn't place his finger on it though. She just seemed entirely _different_.

"Is that you, Xion?" Vanitas asked, glaring at the back of the girl's head as she turned from him.

Naminé scoffed, and leaned her head back to look at him. "Of course not." She said, her eyelids sliding a little farther over her irises. "Are you Sora?"

Vanitas felt the anger bubble up inside his chest, and he lashed out at her immediately, spinning her around and slapping her across the face. She fell to the floor, a small white heap that should be disposed of. Vanitas gritted his teeth, and pulled her up by the hair.

He stood, forcing her to look him in the eyes for a moment, before freezing in place.

Naminé smiled sweetly at him. "So you noticed after all?" She simpered, her eyes sparkling.

Vanitas let go of her, and stepped back. "How is this possible?" He whispered, staring at the small blonde with a mixture of shock and anger.

Naminé didn't answer. She simply flattened out her hair, and walked toward the bed, tilting her head curiously at Aqua. "We are really pitiful, aren't we?" She asked, looking sadly up at the ceiling. "Us monsters falling in love with those who don't deserve us. Everything going to turn into a tragedy, you know."

"I'm not in love with her," Vanitas snapped at the girl, glaring at Aqua.

"Liar," Naminé said softly.

"I do not love her," Vanitas hissed, striding to the blonde's side. "I hate her."

"Love and hate," Naminé said with a haughty grin, "are two sides of the same coin. There is one thin line between the two. That line is obscured for you. You hated her so much, you began to love her." She giggled slightly. "Befitting, I think."

"Shut up," Vanitas growled. "Just… just shut up, you little witch!" He pushed her into the wall with such force the lamp on his bedside fell to the ground and shattered. "You know _nothing_."

"I know _everything_," Naminé whispered back, her eyes dancing in the shadows. "And one of these days, I might just let it all slip…" She glanced to Aqua's slumbering form, then back at Vanitas. She was much shorter than him, being eyelevel with his bare chest. Her arms were pinned above her, but she still retained the haughty attitude she had entered the room with.

Vanitas was worse for wear. His hands were shaking in something like fear. He glared down at her, his breathing becoming ragged. This was nothing to Naminé. She could tell why he was getting worked up.

"If you tell anyone," Vanitas snarled, his grip on her wrists tightening, "I'll kill Ventus and hang him with ribbon above your bed. I'll write with his blood on your walls. I'll wrap him like a fucking birthday present if I have to to get the message across."

"If you do that I'll kill myself."

Vanitas's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, before they narrowing into golden slits. She smiled widely, and pulled her hands down, until he released them.

"I've out-fiended you." She whispered, pushing him away. He stumbled back, looking annoyed, and shocked.

He stared at her for a few moments, before he began to laugh. A perfectly Vanitas laugh came ripping from his throat, echoing in the still air. Naminé rose a perfect pale eyebrow, and folded her arms across her chest.

"Maybe Vexen is right," the boy gasped when his laughing ceased. "We're perfect for each other."

"That's where you're wrong." Naminé said with a cold glare. "You see, while we share very, very much in common, I can tell the difference between love and hate."

"So what?" Vanitas asked, stepping toward her. "I don't want to be in love with that damned mouse." He took another step toward her, and grabbed her chin, staring into her eyes. They were cold, just as cold as his, if not colder.

"You're pathetic." She hissed, pushing him away. "You can't choose who you want to love, Vanitas. It doesn't work like that."

"Then explain to me!" Vanitas shouted. He placed his hands on his chest. "I want to know. What will it take for me to get rid of this feeling?"

Naminé stared at him. Her bright blue eyes softened slightly, and she shook her head, walking toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Vanitas growled. She stopped in the doorway, and looked back at him. Her tow-colored hair curled softly against her pale face.

"I'm going to a funeral."

Vanitas's eyes flickered over her face, as he tried to figure out what she meant. A funeral so late at night, Vanitas could not guess what she meant. She was insane.

Well, not so much anymore.

He stared at her, his golden eyes burning intensely against her ice cold blue ones. It was the staring contest that burned.

The sun against dry ice. Burning, burning, and burning some more.

The gold was harsh.

The blue was harsher.

Vanitas stepped forward, fiery eyes blazing.

She stood still, clear blue gaze icy.

Vanitas decided to humor her.

"Funeral?" He asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Who for?"

Her eyes glistened a bit, dancing with an amusement he usually found only in his own. She tilted her head at him, a smile tugging at her own pale pink lips.

"Mine."

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_Dun dun dun._

_Ironic how THIS is the chapter I upload on Christmas..._

_Anyway, um, Namine has split personalities. Dead serious, she has four in all so far. Very interesting. This one is her sadistic personality. It meshes with her normal personality next chapter. Which is where the VanNami comes in. Oh yes. _

_SOOOOOOOO MERRY CHRISTMAS! *Dances* LAAAAAAAAAAAA MERRY CHRISTMAS, I GOT A NEW POCKET WATCH, NAMED HIM VENTUS, EEEEEEEEE! Yeah, I've got a Terra (a gold one that's smallish, but a lot bigger than Aqua and Ventus), Aqua (a small silver one that has a greek goddess on it), and Ventus, (one that is the same size as Aqua, and a goldish green color with a cool swirl design on it). _

_I know how to name Pocket Watches. I mean, look at Behemoth. That's the giant clock my sister got me shaped like a pocket watch. :D *Has a pocket watch fetish*_

_Sorry, AquaStorm. I know you hate Vanitas. But he's crucial to the story. :/ _

_ANYWAY, MERRY CHRISTMAS! LUFF YOU GUYS! Especially you reviewers. O.O OVER 300? THAT'S INSANE! _

_Next Chapter: Monsters in the Night_

_(I warned you guys about the swear ahead of time. Don't blame me if you don't read Author's Notes XD)_


	38. Monsters in the Night

**White Knight: Thirty Eight :Monsters in the Night**

Vanitas trudged behind Naminé not really caring when the bitter cold lashed out again his flesh. He had remembered to put on a shirt before he followed her, but that was it.

Her hair whipped in the December wind, flowing freely around her head in flaxen wisps. She didn't look back as he followed. He figured she had wanted him to follow from the very beginning. That was why she had come into his room.

No matter. He needed to keep an eye on her. If she committed suicide…

Well, that just ruined everything, right?

The coldness of the evening was irritating. It was like the world had frozen, and was now covered with a thick layer of snow, and ice, and horrible lashing wind.

The snow was crunching beneath their feet. Vanitas's eyes were glued to Naminé's back, trying to decipher the girl's mood. She definitely wasn't her normal self today. He figured this was what her mind had been reverted to after what Xehanort did to her. This was the remnant of whoever Naminé had been before she had went insane. Though it seemed she was being a bit more vindictive than expected.

But this was her. Actually her. Not the girl who doted after Ventus, though Vanitas knew she still had deep feelings for the brat. This girl was much more sane than the Naminé Vanitas had come to know. He knew that couldn't be a good sign. But still, ever curious, he followed her. Her white bag bounced against her hip. The snow crunched with every deep footstep they took.

It was odd, his life so far. But then, he had always been an oddity himself… And the oddness never ceased.

His affections for Aqua meant truly nothing. He did not understand _love_ while Naminé understood it so well, it was almost scary. Which was why he could only suppose the girl was correct about his feelings for the blue haired girl. He didn't like it. Hell, he hated it.

He was the epitome of dark feelings. Rage, and violence, and blood lust. That was him. He had no room for love.

He planned to kill her.

Yes, that was it.

This feeling… with would be quelled once he finished her. Then he could live normally, killing innocents. Perfect life.

And what happens to Naminé after the whole ordeal is over? Well, chances were she wouldn't survive. So she was out of the way.

Pity. She probably _had_ been his first friend. Only friend, really, if he didn't count Aqua. Which he didn't like to, but it seemed at this point…

He cursed Xehanort. This was his fault. He was making it worse with…

Well he actually didn't mind that part. Aqua would hate it. Using her as a pawn like that… it was a perfect plan.

Almost too perfect, but Vanitas couldn't complain.

So Naminé would die after everything was over. Boo hoo. Ventus and Terra would end up dead one way or another. They'd break down without Aqua. The other twin would die in battle, he assumed. Vanitas would kill Sora. That much was said. He _would_ eliminate that filth. Kairi would die. Riku was not important to the cause, so maybe he'd live. Maybe Xehanort had some ounce of decency to let his son live. Well of course he needed an heir, after he went through all that trouble to get one…

So Riku would live. But that could be a problem. With his friends all dead, he might attack. Band together an army. Who knew, really…

Careful steps crunched in the silence. Vanitas didn't know where Naminé planned on going. The girl was insane after all.

Well, she wasn't particularly insane at the moment.

Just wait and make sure, Vanitas told himself. You can't be rash. If she's really not alright, and she was taken to Xehanort…

She'd die under the pressure.

And Xehanort would blame Vanitas.

So no. He had to make sure she was sane before he did anything rash.

His fiery eyes gazed around the icy landscape. He was getting bored. When would this damn girl stop?

The answer to his prayers came soon after, as the tiny blonde stopped. Vanitas's eyes narrowed at her back as she stood, a frozen white blur in the night. Her pale yellow hair fluttered in the nipping cold wind. A dusty coating of snow was blown off the ground, smacking Vanitas's face with cold.

"What the hell are you doing?" Vanitas finally growled, wiping the powdery snow from his face. They seemed to be in some deserted area. A park, maybe, under all the snow. Not too far from the Mansion, but closer to the town. Street lamps illuminated Naminé with a faint yellow glow.

The small girl tilted her head back at him, her light blonde tresses sliding from her shoulder. Her clear blue eyes were obliviously innocent, like that of a child. "Is it a crime to take in the moment?" Naminé asked, her voice nearly devoid of emotion.

Vanitas rolled his eyes. "Please," he said, his tone acidic. "Cut the crap. You were joking about your funeral ten minutes ago."

Naminé's eyebrows raised ever so slightly, and she laughed. The sound rung in the cold and silent air, sweet, almost tantalizingly. "I was, wasn't I?" She asked, looking down as she turned her head away from him.

"Mind telling me what the hell is going on so I don't have to turn you in?" Vanitas asked, squinting at her.

"Turn me in for what?" Naminé asked, her voice incredibly bitter. "_Remembering_? I doubt you remember, Vanitas, but it's their fault that I'm like this. I'm their creation, they just messed me up. Not my problem."

"So you admit that you've gotten your memory back?" Vanitas asked, glaring at the back of her head. Was she and idiot, or something?

"No, not all of it, but I've had some of it for a while." Naminé said airily. "Or, at least, a while like… a few days. I think I scared Ventus." She gave a tiny one shoulder shrug.

"A few days?" Vanitas hissed, clenching his fists. How had no one noticed? Certainly someone could see it in her eyes, that she was different. Better.

"Mmm Hmm," Naminé hummed thoughtfully. She spun around on her toes, sending snow flying in all directions. Her flaxen hair twirled around her head, landing gracefully on her shoulders, and her messenger bag swung idly at her hip. "And it's all thanks to you!"

Vanitas froze. The girl's blue eyes sparkled with the kind of coy cynicism that he knew well. "What do you mean?" Vanitas growled, taking a step toward the blonde. "I didn't do anything."

The girl simply smiled knowingly. She closed her eyes, and shook her head. "But, Vanitas, you did." She opened them, and looked up at the dark sky. Her smile fell. "You made Xion go into my head to look for Kairi's weakness." Naminé said in a small voice. "She dug too far. Guess what happened?"

Vanitas stared at her, mind running faster than it should trying to process this. She was right. He had made Xion do this. It was his fault.

He grinded his teeth together in utter frustration. "Damn it." He hissed, his fists shaking in fury. If Xehanort found out it was his fault…

"I won't tell."

Vanitas jumped, his anger washing away. He looked up at the blonde, his eyes wide with shock. "What?"

"What?" Naminé asked, still staring up at the sky. "I wouldn't tell on you. I have no reason to."

"I'm sure you could dig one up," Vanitas drawled, his eyes narrowing. He didn't trust her.

Naminé glanced to the side. "Maybe," she muttered. "But I wouldn't go searching through my memories just to find something to hold against you." She glared up at him, and crossed her arms across her chest. "It would waste my time and energy."

"Really?" Vanitas asked in a low, dull voice. He stepped toward her. "I'd think you would want me silenced."

"I'm not evil, Vanitas." Naminé said softly, her eyes peering tiredly into his face. "Not like you."

Vanitas would smirk if it were anyone else. Say something snidely back, maybe. If it were Aqua, he'd do something to prove just how 'evil' he was.

But this was Naminé.

He had no smart retort for her.

"I threatened your servant." Vanitas said, his eyes narrowing some more at the girl.

"I threatened to kill myself." Naminé said with an odd look on her face. Like she was annoyed, confused, and angry all at once. "That won't get either of us anyway."

_She trapped me, _Vanitas realized. _She has two things against me. The stupid Aqua thing, and now this. How can this all get any worse?_

Naminé sighed, and bent down. Her knees sunk into the snow, and she grabbed hold of her messenger bag, opening it. Vantias watched as she reached into the white carrier and pulled out a shovel.

Vanitas rose an eyebrow. It was a small _garden_ shovel. Obviously she was still nuts.

The raven haired boy watched, slightly disinterested, as the girl dug into the snow. She shoveled her way into the earth, piling the dirt and snow beside her. Vanitas watched, eyes cold, as her teeth began to chatter. Her stockings were soaked through, and she wore no gloves to shield herself from the ferocious snow. But still, he admired her strange determination. She kept digging, even though the ground was frozen, and her hands probably ached.

Vanitas leaned back on his heals, watching her finally drop the shovel with a pant, and scramble to her feet. "D-done." She murmured, rubbing her hands together.

Vanitas pursed his lips, and took a step toward the hole. It wasn't very big. Several inches deep, and around a foot wide. "What was all that for?" Vanitas asked, eyeing the hole.

"I told you I was going to a funeral." Naminé said quietly.

"You said it was yours." Vanitas spat at her.

She closed her eyes. "Yes, I did. And it is."

"Hate to break it to you, witch, but you aren't going to fit in there."

"Ha ha, Vanitas." Naminé frowned. "I'm not burying myself."

Vanitas rose an eyebrow at this, and yawned. "Explain why we're out here then?" He asked, feeling the urge to go find someone to kill.

Naminé sighed, and reached into her white bag. Vanitas watched with a bored expression as she pulled out a beige sketchbook.

She gripped the edges of it, tilting her head.

"Vanitas, do you think we're monsters?" She asked, staring at the rectangular object with a sort of sadness.

"We're different." Vanitas said, his eyes narrowing. "That can mean anything. We're not human, if that's what your asking. You're not a very nice person, either."

Naminé looked down, her grip tightening on the sketchbook. "But—"

"But what?" Vanitas asked, glaring at the younger girl. "There's a possibility we could be something different. Maybe we could even be human." Vanitas rolled his eyes at this.

"If we tried… maybe—"

"Maybe what?" Vanitas asked sharply. "Maybe we could have a _happy ending_? I thought you were smarter than that, witch."

Naminé flinched, and hugged the sketchbook to her chest. "There _is_ no happy ending for us. Not for you, not for me, not for your precious _Ventus_, not for Aqua, not for Terra. No one is getting out of this, Naminé, _no one_. Get you fricking head out of the clouds already."

"I can believe that their's hope if I want." Naminé whispered in a shaky voice. "I believe that we're better than this. Vanitas, you don't have to destroy—"

"Destroying is my second nature." Vantias said simply. "Don't delude yourself, Naminé. Remember who you're talking to."

"I know who I'm talking to," Naminé said through gritted teeth, "and still I don't understand!"

"Understand this;" Vanitas said, stepping over the hole. He towered over the blonde as he glared down at her. He wanted to throw her against a tree, and threaten her like he did earlier, but he couldn't. She was more untouchable than Aqua. He _chose_ to put off Aqua's death until later. Naminé could not be harmed. Because if he killed her… his existence was meaningless. Everything he had strived for would be shattered.

So instead, he simply grabbed her roughly by the hair, and tilted her head up to his so he could look her directly in the eyes. "I hate _everything_. You, the world, Aqua, Xehanort, myself." He jostled her, until she gave a satisfying yelp. "_Hate_ it. You think I'd change my ways? Now of all times?" Vanitas threw her into the snow. "You're a pathetic little witch."

Naminé laid there, her face buried in the cold whiteness. Her light yellow hair was strewn around her, covering the other half of her already red face. Vanitas bent down, and whispered coldly in her ear, "Don't be an idiot. I can't change."

The silence of the night was nearly deadly.

Naminé laid in the snow for a little longer, before sitting up. The little white crystals clung to her skin, and hair, and clothes. Her breath was rattled, heavy, visible in the night. Her eyes were on her sketchbook, which was still clutched tightly in one hand.

Slowly, the girl flipped the book open, leafing to a page lined with pencil and nothing else. It was rather good, compared to Naminé's other work. She tore the drawing from the book and placed it in the hole beside her.

Vanitas peered at the drawing. He blinked slowly, before his eyes widened to saucers. He dropped to his hands and knees to stare at the drawing, now slightly smudged with dirt.

It was Naminé, no doubt, laying on a table. Her eyes were open, but they had no pupils.

There was another half to the picture. There, in Naminé skillful art, was Vanitas laying next to her. His eyes were bright, filled with malice. There was a long straight line separating the images.

"Maybe you truly are a monster." She said in a small, soft voice.

Vanitas looked at her sharply. His eyes narrowed, and he sneered at her, "I know I am."

Naminé stared at him, her eyes saddened. "You know…" She said in a tiny voice barely over a whisper. "I really did think you and I could be friends."

Vanitas looked at her, and snorted. "Right," he said in a venomous voice. "I'm sure we can be best buddies."

"Maybe it's because where we come from." Naminé sighed. "I don't know, it was stupid."

"Yes, it was."

Naminé fingered the pages of her sketch book. "I don't understand you, Vanitas," she said, her eyes tired. "But I don't hate you. You know that, right?"

"I hate you."

Naminé's eyebrows rose. "Oh, thank you." She said, her voice losing emotion. "That's so kind."

Vanitas blinked, and turned to her. He stared at her for a few moments, something rolling in his head. Something about Aqua.

This love thing. It was a fluke. He hated her. He hated everything.

Naminé was wrong.

He smirked. And he would prove to her just how wrong she was.

"You know," he said in a quiet tone. "Who knows. Super baby might not be such a bad idea."

Naminé blinked slowly, and looked at him. "Super baby?" She said distantly. Vanitas placed his hands on her shoulders, roughly pushing her back, into the snow.

But he ended up on his back somehow.

His eyes were wide as he stared into Naminé's slightly foggy blue eyes. Blonde strands of hair tickled his cheeks as the girl peered down at him curiously. She was sitting on his chest, looking rather pleased with herself. His arms were pinned to the ground spread-eagle.

Well, Vanitas felt humiliated.

"You know," Naminé said in a hushed tone. Her foggy eyes fading from clearness to daze every few seconds. Naminé's nose brushed his, and his eyes narrowed. "If you wanted to kiss me, you could've just asked."

Her lips brushed against his, lingering there.

Right now she was neither the sane Naminé nor Ventus's Naminé.

She was in-between, and more insane than ever.

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_So... I like VanNami. Big whoop. I have fun shipping Vanitas. _

_Ugh. Vani and Nami, though. Leaving those two together long enough rapes even MY mind. Seriously. They're so good at making the other question their existence, I wonder why I never paired them together before._

_Oh yeah. This is a VenNami story. And it will stay that way, mind you! I just couldn't decide on whether I wanted VanNami to be romantic or sibling. So this chapter features the romantic side that is totally insane, and kinda like: Here's me testing what I can do in this story. Deal with it. While next chapter features the more brother-sister feel that says: Aww, okay, Namine wants to be his friend, that's cute, don't make them kiss again, kay Dani?_

_In other news HellfireComms is doing a BBS playthrough! I can't wait to watch it. I get so many laughs out of those two guys, it's not even funny. And I just can't WAIT to hear Helldragon's reaction to all of the Vanitas innuendos. _

_I miss Angel and Metrifyx. Le sigh. Least I can always count on my LOYAL REVIEWERS! Who apparently don't watch SpoonyChan. That's where the 'Overgrown Turkey Fetus' is from, and in this girl's show (Misadventures of MarVex if anyone actually wants to watch it) Roxas calls Vexen this. Because Roxas locks himself in a closet so Vexen won't rape him, or something (dead serious, this is how the show is. Be warned.)._

_ANYWAY! Next Chapter: Change Hurts._

_Stay tuned, AND REVIEW! Please?_


	39. Change Hurts

**White Knight: Thirty Nine :Change Hurts**

"_Report 15. Subject is doing well. Very quiet and submissive. We have beliefs she will do well."_

"_Why are you talking to yourself, Mister Vexen?"_

"_Well you see, Naminé, I'm recording my findings."_

"_Findings?"_

"_Yes, this is my journal in a way. I have to record data, and I have no time to write it down."_

"_Oh…"_

"_Yes, now onto the next test…"_

"_Why did you say I'm quiet and submissive, Mister Vexen?"_

"_Because it's true, Naminé, now—"_

"_But what does being submissive mean?"_

"_It means… it means you are a good girl, and you do what you're told."_

"_Oh. Why does that matter?"_

"_Because, Naminé, if you do what you're told you can help us."_

"_With what?"_

"_Our goal, of course. Didn't Ansem tell you?"_

"_I thought he was joking."_

"_No… no, he wasn't."_

"_But… Mister Vexen, I can't do that."_

"_Naminé, please. Don't be silly."_

"_But I can't do that! If I do, Sora and Roxas and Ventus—"_

"_You don't know those boys. Don't forget that. You may have memories of them but those memories are not _yours_ to remember. You have no friends."_

"_But…"_

"_You were created for this purpose. You must fulfill your duty."_

"_But that's just…"_

"_Just what?"_

"_It's… it's cruel! If I do it, then… then all those people…"_

"_Sit down!"_

"_But, Mister Vexen!"_

"_No. No."_

"_Mister Vexen… I won't do it. I don't want to!"_

"_Brat!"_

Naminé flung herself away from Vanitas, the sound of a hand meeting cheek echoing in their minds. The girl was shuddering, her face buried in the snow. Vanitas's chest heaved, his golden eyes wide as his cheek stung. He had felt it. The slap. Naminé had too, obviously. The way she twitched feebly, her light yellow hair flowing around her head. She was probably trying to suffocate herself, or something.

But Vanitas couldn't bring himself to stop her.

"_I'm not a pawn!"_

"_Please don't make me—"_

"_W-what are you—"_

"_Stop it! My head… it's gonna split—"_

The earsplitting sound of screaming echoed in his mind. The words spun around, and around, trying to find meaning. It was Naminé. All of it. He knew what they did to her, but he had never cared. But actually feeling it…

He understood now. Why Naminé was the way she was. The rush of everything flooding straight into his brain, spinning like a vortex round and round, never ceasing. It was like his head was going to split open. It was unbearable. He couldn't even move to scream, or convulse. An unknown force restrained him.

And suddenly, it all stopped.

Vanitas heaved, his eyes wide with fear. Never had he felt that kind of pain before. It was obvious he hadn't given enough thought to Naminé. That… whatever it was… it was enough to make anyone insane.

Though he knew it wasn't really the pain that had caused the insanity. It was what the pain was for that caused the insanity.

Vanitas sat up, his eyes darting around the park. His breath rose, smoky in the cold. He wasn't sure what had just happened.

"Yuuuuck!"

Vanitas's eyes snapped to the younger girl. Her blue eyes were foggy, out of focus. She was scrubbing her tongue ferociously with a fistful of snow.

Vanitas had a retort in the back of his mind, but he was too shaken to say anything. So he just stared until she dropped the snow, giggling. Vanitas knew she was in the same shape as he was physically. Heaving, shuddering, she might've even been crying. But incidentally she had reverted back into her crazy shell.

"Eww, I kissed Vanitas!" She laughed. "Manservant will be exceedingly jealous!"

Still Vanitas did not answer. Her voice rung in his head.

"_I'm not a pawn!"_

It seemed everything was pointing in that direction. The universe was giving him signs. Aqua, his feelings, his jealousy, Naminé, and now this. There was a big sign somewhere that said: _Vanitas. Go here to sign up for the good guys._

But he sure as hell wasn't going to do anything like that. He had too much fun killing people. He wasn't going to the Light side of things. He couldn't.

There was no such thing as changing for a monster.

"Shut up," he growled in a shaky voice.

Naminé jumped, and looked up at him. As he suspected, her face was streaked with tears. Illuminated by streetlamps, Vanitas watched as the fog faded back into clearness. She blinked a few times, before collapsing on her hands and knees, gasping.

"Nice memories." Vanitas sneered, rising to his feet cautiously.

"Shut up," Naminé rasped, her eyes wide. She gripped the snow with anger. "You shouldn't have seen that!"

"I did. I felt it too." Vanitas felt a shudder run down his spine, and he scowled. "Hurt like hell."

"_Yeah_," Naminé whispered icily. "That pretty much covers it."

"So any idea why that happened?"

Naminé breathed deeply, and sat back clutching her chest with red hands. "Xehanort has defense systems…"

"What?"

"I mean… for me. So I don't get my memory back. I caught a few on Xion. But this was the worst."

"But you have your memory back," the raven haired boy grumbled. "So why—"

"You're wrong."

"What?" Vanitas looked at her sharply. She was staring at the ground. Her shoulders were shaking.

"I… I'm normal right now, yeah. But… I still don't have a clue what happened. That pain… I think you got the most of it just now. I can't remember what happened before my insanity, or even what this big thing is that I'm supposed to do. I don't know." The girl's breathing was irregular.

"And ew, I just kissed you!" Naminé looked utterly repulsed.

"This seems to be the universal reaction to my lips. Live with it." Vanitas said in a sardonic tone. "Why did this 'defense system' kick in?"

"How should I know?" Naminé mumbled, hugging herself. "He probably thought I'd try to seduce information out of you."

"I'd love to see that." Vanitas said in a bored tone. "Give it a go."

"Oh, are you asking for more, Vani-kinz?" Naminé asked, her tone bitter.

"No." Vanitas leaned back, and collapsed in the snow. "If I wanted something from you I'd take it. I'm just not interested."

"Flattering."

"You're being really annoying, you know that?" Vanitas asked, glaring at the stars.

"Normally I'd be mad at myself, but I'm kind of enjoying the fact that I can piss you off."

"You see," Vanitas sat up, and his eyes narrowed at the blonde. "Your personality is all off. You're all over the charts. Who the hell are you?"

Naminé seemed at loss for a few moments. "H-huh…?"

Vanitas rolled his eyes, sitting up. He pulled a leg up, and leaned his chin on it. "Look at you. You have no definite personality. You can't choose if you want to be sweet, or evil, or cute, or sadistic. You're just all over the place."

Naminé stared blankly at him. She pulled her knees to her chest, and shook her head. "I…" She whispered. "I don't know who I am, Vanitas."

"I guess that's partly my fault, right?" The raven haired boy scratched his head. "I've had Xion keeping you in the dark."

Naminé stood, and walked to the hole. She bent down, slowly picking up the picture she had planned to bury. "This is what I meant." She murmured.

"What?"

The girl held up the drawing. "I want to forget. My past is best left untouched."

"You're right." Vanitas yawned, jumping to his feet. "I mean, if you remember exactly what happened to you, it won't end well for anyone. Keep it on the down low."

"Of course, Vanitas." She muttered. "Of course."

The boy stretched, and walked to her side. "Look," he said staring down at the picture. "Don't think about it. The more you think about it the better chance you have of remembering."

"But it's so close I can taste it…" She whispered, setting the picture down. "How can I not think about it?"

"Think about your boyfriend, smartass."

"He isn't my boyfriend…" Naminé sighed, pushing the snow and dirt over the drawing. "I should probably stop teasing him, though. If I'm going to go through with this…" She bit her lip.

"Second thoughts?"

"I don't want to." She murmured. "I… all those people…"

"Forget about them."

"I can't!" Naminé gasped, her eyes locking with his. "Vanitas, I don't even know how to do this!"

"Xion does. She'll walk you through it."

"If you think I'm going to let her—"

"You _are_." Vanitas growled. "Or else Ventus is finished."

"Ven is the only reason why I'm alive right now!" Naminé cried. Her voice echoed in the trees. "He's the only thing…"

"Don't you care about Aqua?"

Naminé looked at him. She sighed. "Yes."

"Then Ven isn't the only thing that's special to you." Vanitas murmured, staring down at her. "It's pathetic how human you can act."

"I am human."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am!" She shouted, standing up. "And so are you! You don't want to believe it because we were _created_, but we're still human beings! We have feelings! Yours are just messed up. But… I can fix that."

"What?" Vanitas growled, stepping away from her.

"If you want… I can fix it. I think… I think I might be able to get into your mind... your heart, and fix you." She looked down, and laughed a little. "That's… that's the real reason I brought you out here. I just thought… maybe I could…"

"You can't fix me." Vanitas said, his tone dry. "There's nothing to fix."

"Don't say that." Naminé said softly. "Don't you want to be able to live normally? Don't you want to be able to get married someday? Have a real life?"

"No."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

Naminé stared at him. She sighed, and shook her head. "I believe in you, Vanitas." She smiled slightly. "You're so stupid. You think that having no feelings will save you." Her smile fell. "It won't."

"I feel." Vanitas said in a low tone. "I feel hate, and rage. Anguish, and sadness, and pain. Are these the emotions you cherish, Naminé?"

"No." She said in a small tone. "Those are the emotions you cherish."

"Shut up."

"I pity you." She said, stepping toward him. He froze.

"Don't." He snarled, his eyes cold.

"It's hard not to." She said, smiling a little. "You could've been such a good person. But the way they made you… I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Vanitas hissed. "I love what I am."

"_Love_?" Naminé giggled, spinning around him.

"That's not what I meant!" Vanitas growled.

"What then? You hate what you are?"

"No, that's not what I—"

"You like being a total jackass? Is that it?"

"Well—"

"Do you like the fact that your life is meaningless? At least I was created for a purpose. You're just a screw up they didn't waste their time getting rid of."

"No. Shut up, you don't—"

"Know anything?" Naminé stared at the boy coldly. "Do you believe that?"

"Yes, you little bitch, I do. No shut the hell up, or I'll—"

"Kill me? Kiss me? Hit me?" Her eyes were completely void of emotion. "Your threats are all the same. Tell me, Vanitas. Will you do it? Do you have the guts? Killing me will end all this trouble. I wouldn't tell anyone your little secrets." She rose a finger as she stepped toward him. "_But_, if you kill me Xehanort will destroy you." She tilted her head at his fear stricken face. "Would you welcome death? Would you kill me?"

Vanitas's smoky breath shook, his fists trembling. He seemed confused, and unsure. "I…" He was at a loss for words.

"Let me fix you." Naminé stood in front of him, a hand over her heart. "Please, Vanitas."

The boy stared at her, his golden eyes darted around her face, trying so hard to figure out how to break her. But his mind was blank. He couldn't kill her, and hurting her would send him to a whipping, and kissing her to confuse her would be disastrous. She'd just end up kissing him back to confuse him, and it would all end up weird.

"No…" He whispered, turning away from her. "No. I can't do this."

He began to walk, unsure of where he was going. Maybe he could kill her and run?

_Do you like the fact that your life is meaningless? _

Then… his life really would have no meaning. All he was trying to do was help Xehanort. If she died…

_This was a bad idea. All of it. This stupid witch knows me better than anyone. I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have even stayed this long._

The sound of crunching snow pervaded his ears. It was fast. She was running. He spun, but she had already caught him. She felt her arms wrap firmly around his torso, and her face bury into his back.

"We're friends," she whispered, her voice echoing in the night. "So I'm going to help you change. One feeling at a time."

Her hand snaked up his chest, until it was just above his heart. Her fingernails dug into through his shirt, and into his flesh.

Then he began to scream in agony.

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_Heee. Confused? This chapter raped my mind when I wrote it (as I told you last chapter in my AR)._

_Soo, what just happened here... IT'S A NEW PLOT POINT! :D Don't think Vanitas is magically nice. I think Nami might've even made him worse. Kinda. You'll see._

_Yeeee. HAPPY NEW YEAR! It's 2011. Kinda. Not yet. Soon._

_Ugh. School in two days. YUCK. Super duper yuck. Ew._

_Review please! I'm uber tired, so the rant has been cut short._

_Next Chapter: Remorse_


	40. Remorse

**White Knight: Forty :Remorse**

Vanitas woke with a start, and a rather aching pain in his chest. His breathing was heavy, and his heart was pounding. Did he have a nightmare, or something? Naminé…

Vanitas sat up, clutching his heart. _Naminé_. What had she done to him? How did he end up…

Back in his room.

Vanitas's head snapped to the side.

A pair of blue eyes watched him, narrowed.

_Shit._

"Aqua." Vanitas hissed.

"Hello." Aqua said, her voice venomous.

Vanitas jumped off the bed, feeling his heart begin to pound more furiously. The back of his neck began to feel warm. _What was this?_

His hand was trembling over his chest. He gritted his teeth in annoyance, and pain. What had Naminé _done_ to him?

"How long have you been awake?" He asked, trying to mask his pain with anger. He wasn't sure it worked well.

"A while."

"Well why didn't you leave?" He snapped, glaring back at her. She had sat up, her arms folded across her chest.

She rose an eyebrow. "I wanted to figure out why I woke up in your room."

"Didn't feel like bringing you to yours." Vanitas hissed. His grip on his shirt tightened.

"So you kept me in here all night?" She asked, looking livid.

"I wasn't even here last night, so shut your fricking mouth!" Vanitas shouted, spinning around to face her. Her eyes flickered to his fist, clutching his aching chest, and they softened.

"You're hurt." She said in a quiet voice.

"I'm _fine_." Vanitas snarled, his golden eyes ablaze. "Get out."

"You're _bleeding_, you stupid boy!" Aqua jumped to her feet, still on the bed, mind you, towering over Vanitas.

Vanitas blinked slowly, and carefully withdrew his trembling hand. It was covered in blood. He placed his hand back on his chest, clutching his aching heart for dear life. "It doesn't concern you." He whispered icily, glowering at her. "Get _out_."

Aqua jumped off the bed, her own glare powerfully reigning down on his. "You brought me here," she said, her lips twisting with distaste. "So give me one good reason why I should listen to you?"

"I don't have one." He said, his voice betraying the pain he felt. "Get the hell out."

"And what?" She asked, rolling her eyes. "Leave you to die?"

"That would be quite helpful, wouldn't it?"

"I'm not that kind of person, Vanitas." She said, her face set in determination.

"Not yet," Vanitas hissed.

She looked at him, a kind of annoyed glower. She did not answer.

"Lay down so I can look at the wound." She murmured, walking around him.

Vanitas grip tightened on his shirt. "Leave me be," he said, his voice shaking as violently as his hands, "and I'll tell you about your sister."

Aqua froze. Vanitas would've smirked if he had the strength. He caught her. She stared at him, then to his bleeding chest, shaking her head. "You… you're lying…"

"I swear."

"On what?" She hissed. "You don't care about anything."

Something twitched in his stomach, and his heart flared with pain. He dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. "Shut up," he rasped. "I care… I care about…"

About what? He didn't care about anything. That's what he told Naminé.

Naminé…

"I care," he hissed, his eyes watering, "about Naminé."

That left her utterly aghast. "_Naminé_?" Aqua gaped.

"She's…" Vanitas breathed, trying to clear his head. "She's just like me. Just… like…"

"You care about her?" Aqua's voice was soft.

"Not enough to save her." Vanitas muttered, closing his eyes. This pain had to stop. He was saying things he should never even think.

"Save her?" Aqua gasped. "From what?"

Vanitas's eyes narrowed at her. "Get _out_." His voice held all his wrath and pain.

Aqua jumped. Her eyes were so wide, she looked almost frightened. She stared at him for a few moments, before spinning on her heel, and running out of the room.

She slammed the door shut, staring at it blankly. Then, she sighed, and placed her forehead against it.

"Oh…"

Aqua jumped, and looked up. Leaning against the wall, hugging a sketchbook to her chest, was Naminé. She looked a little lost, but somehow happy.

"Naminé…?" Aqua asked, peering down at the girl.

She simply smiled, and leaned her head against the wall. "He said he cared about me…" She said, her voice giddy.

"Naminé…" Aqua said slowly. "You don't have a crush on Vanitas, do you?"

Naminé looked at Aqua, and shook her head. "He's lovable in his own way," she said thoughtfully, "but I prefer blonds."

Aqua laughed, and shook her head. "I don't understand you, Naminé." She said, turning away. "But certainly have interesting taste in men."

"What can I say," Naminé asked, smiling down at her sketchbook. "It's like choosing between chocolate and vanilla."

Aqua looked back at her, eye brows raised, but she had already slipped into the raven haired boy's room. She sighed, and shook her head.

"I wonder what Terra's up to?" She asked distantly, trying to push all thoughts of Vanitas out of her head.

* * *

The blonde stood, leaning against the injured boy's door, smiling a little. It was quite the sight, watching Vanitas writhe on the floor, clutching his chest. His pained gasps filled the room, and Naminé felt a little prideful toward her work.

Vanitas seemed to notice her, because her was staring at her through pieces of sweaty black hair.

"Like my present?" She asked, her clear blue eyes gazing excitedly at him.

"What…" Rasped the pained boy, "what the hell did you do to me?"

Naminé shook her head, letting her sketchbook slip to the floor. Her bare feet crossed the floor, stepping over droplets of semi-dried blood. She bent down, pulling Vanitas up by his arm, and pushing him onto the bed.

He stared at her, looking slightly fearful as she sat down next to him. She stared at his contorted face, and tilted her head, brushing some of his sweaty hair from his golden eyes.

"I'm sorry it has to hurt so much." She said softly, pushing his hair back, soothing him like he was a small child.

"What," Vanitas hissed, his hand shaking vigorously, "did you _do _to me?"

Naminé stared at him, looking almost sorry. She smiled a little sadly, and placed her hand over his shaking one. "I fixed you." She said, lips quirking into a silly grin.

"You call this _fixing me_?" Vanitas snarled. Naminé was not fazed, however, and she pushed Vanitas hand away.

"You needed to feel the pain of all the people you've killed before I could do anything with your other emotions." She said in a slightly monotone voice. "I'm sorry this is the first positive emotion you have to feel, but you'll have to feel it sometime." She took a deep breath, her shoulders shaking. "And I'm so, so sorry about this, Vanitas."

"The pain can't get any worse…" He muttered, a few tears escaping his eyes.

To his surprise he felt a warm splash against his cheek. His gaze flickered to Naminé, and his eyes widened.

Tears were trickling down her cheeks as well.

She tried to give him a smile, but it came out a grimace. "I'm sorry." She brushed the tears from his face, and shook her head. "I… I'm glad that some of the emotions that I pulled up surfaced."

"What?"

"You said you cared about me." She smiled gently, another tear sliding down her cheek. "You meant it."

Vanitas's shaking did not help his predicament. His eyes narrowed at her. "No…" He whispered in a quaking voice. "No, I didn't."

"Yes you did." She shook her head. "Sorry. I… I knew you'd start caring about me sometime, but I didn't know you already did. I'm so sorry."

"I don't—" Vanitas growled, but Naminé just smiled, and placed her hand over his mouth.

"You do." She laughed a little, and shook her head. "I do care about you, you know." Another tear slipped from one of her eyes. "That's why I'm doing this."

"You…" He gasped as she let her hand slide off his mouth. "You give crummy presents."

She simply laughed, and shook her head. "I'm sorry." She whispered, one more tear sliding off her cheek, and plopping onto Vanitas's.

She placed her other hand on Vanitas's chest, pushing back his already unbuttoned shirt. This revealed his wound fully to her. Not that she didn't already know what it looked like.

It was a star. A five pointed star carved into his chest. He panted, shaking his head. "What are you doing?" He asked, his voice cracking.

Naminé placed her thumb on the first point of the star, then her index finger on the next point. She continued this, until her pinky reached the last point. Vanitas simply stared at her.

"What the hell was that—" Suddenly his eyes widened. He began to scream.

This scream as agonized. Like a dying animal mixed with a anguished human. His eyes were flickering, watching the ceiling with terror.

The star on his chest glowed white.

In both their ears, screams blared. Not Vanitas's.

"_Please, leave us—"_

"_Have mercy!"_

"_Mommy!"_

"_Scum!"_

"_Kill me, you disgusting Red—"_

"_You're a monster! Go to he—"_

"_Run! Go, just—"_

"_Don't kill me, please—"_

All sentences ending with a blood curdling scream.

Vanitas convulsed, his own screams warping into words as tears streamed freely down his face.

"_What is this_?" He writhed, his eyes shining with confusion, and agony.

Naminé pulled her hand from her chest, watching as it continued to glow. One last tear trickled down her cheek.

"Remorse."

* * *

"Aqua's cute, Terra."

Terra sighed, and poked his cake with irritation. "I _know_ that, Rinoa." He grumbled with a scowl.

"Then what's the problem?" The brown haired girl asked, her eyes widening. "Come on, you're a _man_. Grow a pair and ask her out!"

"You don't understand the circumstances at all, do you?" He asked glaring at the happy girl.

"You _kissed_ her, didn't you?" Rinoa asked, raising and eyebrow. "Come on, Terra. She didn't seem repulsed when you did it, right? Obviously she likes you."

"I told you," Terra sighed, shaking his head. "That's not the problem!"

"What's not the problem?"

Both Terra and Rinoa's heads snapped to the kitchen door, where Aqua stood in confusion.

"Aqua!" Rinoa shouted, beaming. She jumped out of her seat, running toward the blue haired girl. "Sit down!" The brunette gasped, pulling her to the chair where she had been sitting earlier.

"Erm…" The younger girl blinked in confusion as she was pushed into the chair. Rinoa spun around, and waved. "I have to get back to work." She said, though she stopped when she passed Terra. She bent down, and whispered in his ear, "I suggest you ask her to Riku's party before someone else does. Get on it!"

She pulled away from him, and smiled brightly at Aqua, holding up her index finger in a sort of good bye.

Aqua stared after her, looking more and more confused. "Um…"

Terra just stared at her blankly, before he glared over to the bustling side of the kitchen where Rinoa, Selphie, and Garnet were huddled in a cluster, watching them. Immediately after catching his eye, Rinoa squeaked, and pushed the other two girls away.

"What was that all about, Terra?" Aqua asked, looking at Rinoa and the other girls as well.

Terra stared at her, maybe just to stare at her, for a few moments. Then he shook his head. "Rinoa. She's a little eccentric."

Aqua blinked, and looked at the brunette who was quickly trying to keep herself busy so she wouldn't look at the duo. "Oh." She said, looking down.

He kept staring at her, his eyes widening as he felt the question rising in his throat. It couldn't hurt right? It was just a silly party…

"Terra?" Aqua asked, tilting her head at him. "Are you okay?"

Terra's eyes widened more. "Fine!" He shook his head. "Uh… but… Aqua, can I ask you something?"

Aqua stared at him, her blue hair fluttering around her head. She giggled, and nodded. "Sure, Terra." She said, her eyes brightening. "You can ask me anything."

He gaze at her, trying to get passed his fear. It was just a party. It was just a party. "Aqua… would you—"

The kitchen door burst open suddenly.

"Hi ho, kitchen dwellers plus Terra!" Ven shouted, hands raised in the air.

Terra groaned, dropping his head on the table.

_Ven…_

_

* * *

_

_Author's Rant_

_Sorry if it seems a bit sloppier than usual. It's hard to get things across when the last chapter was so confusing. This should clear some things up, hopefully._

_FANFICTION SCREWED UP MY HEADER, DAMMIT!_

_Real life sucks. Seriously, I never asked for this crap. Grrr. _

_Tired. Sleep. Meeeew. _

_Made the ending funny this time. It's been a while since Terra, Ven, AND Aqua were in the kitchen together (first chapter, sweethearts)._

_I've been thinking about who Roxas will get paired with. I'm not a very big fan of RokuShion, and I was thinking about Rion anyway. Maybe I can ditch Snow and Reno and ship him with Serah? _

_Next Chapter: Good Person, Bad Person (this is the first time in a while where I had to really dig up a name for the chapter. Sad.)_


	41. Good Person, Bad Person

**White Knight: Forty One :Good Person, Bad Person**

"Are you okay, Terra?" Ven asked, striding to the table. Terra grumbled in response, while Aqua simply giggled.

"It's okay, Terra." She said, her eyes bright. "What were you going to ask me?"

Terra rose his head, and leaned back. "Never mind." He said, looking to Ven. "Aren't you supposed to be with Naminé?"

Ven looked suddenly downcast. Aqua stared at him. "Ven?" She asked, reaching out to him.

"Naminé had a knife this morning." He said in a quiet voice.

"What?" Aqua and Terra gasped in unison.

Ven nodded, pulling a folding chair from the wall and plopping down on it. Terra ran a hand through his hair, trying to figure out how exactly the insane girl had gotten a hold of a knife. Aqua just seemed shocked.

"Are you alright?" She asked, her eyes wide. "I mean… Naminé could do anything, you never know…"

"She wasn't holding it." Ven sighed. He looked up at the ceiling, his lips tugging down into a frown. "It was on the ground. Or rather, stabbed into the floor."

Terra stared blankly at the blond boy. His dark eyebrows rose. "You sure know how to pick them, Ven." Terra commented dryly.

Ven took a deep breath. His eyes flickered from Terra to Aqua. "There was blood on it." The boy said, looking a little sickened. "A… a lot. It wasn't hers. She didn't have any cuts, or anything. So…"

"It was someone else's." Aqua finished, her voice barely over a whisper.

Ven swallowed, and nodded. "Yeah."

The silence around the table was deafening. Terra was hoping that the insane girl had not taken a life, while Ven was just worried in particular about Naminé. Aqua, however, was in deep thought about something else.

"But she… she seemed fine this morning—" She cut herself off, her eyes widening.

"Vanitas!" She gasped, throwing her chair back.

"Wha…?" Ven asked, with Terra following close behind with a confused, "What?"

She shook her head. Spinning around, Aqua sped toward the door, leaving Ven and Terra to slowly look after.

Terra stood first. "Let's go after her." He said, discarding his chair. Ven nodded, standing as well. They rushed after their friend, through the halls of the mansion. Confusion hung over their heads like a dark cloud, simply refusing to show the sun. They glanced at each other, silently trying to figure out what Aqua had meant.

She came sliding to a stop in front of a door, her hand flinging out to catch the doorknob. But to her despair, she found it locked.

"Aqua…" Terra said, staring down at his friend. "You know you can—" But Aqua wasn't listening. She had began pounding on the door, her face flushing in anger.

"Vanitas, open the door!" She screamed, trying to doorknob. Terra smirked a little, watching her shake the knob furiously. "Vanitas!" She shouted again, her fist rapping heavily on the wood. "Vanitas, open it!" Ven rose an eyebrow, his face splitting into a wide grin as he figured out the reason Terra was smirking.

"Vanitas! Open the stupid—" She rose her foot, slamming the metal clad limb against the door, causing the door to crack vertically, "—door!"

She stared at the door for a few moments before letting out a frustrated groan, running her hand through her hair.

Terra watched her, looking highly amused. "You done?" He asked, his cobalt eyes on the girl's face.

She slowly nodded, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion.

Terra shook his head, his Keyblade materializing in his hand. He pointed it at the door, and the lock clicked after an extravagant light show.

Aqua stared blankly at the door, her mouth agape. Ven was trying to smother his laughter behind his hand, but it only seemed to make it worse.

"You're such a show off, Terra." Aqua grumbled, hiding her face from him. It was obvious her cheeks had turned bright red with embarrassment.

"You're just mad you didn't think of it." Terra shot back at her, feeling that their bantering was childish. In a good way.

Aqua slowly reached out, and grasped the doorknob. She gave Ven and Terra a look, and asked worriedly, "Ready?"

Terra watched her, his gaze narrowing. "Are you afraid, Aqua?" He asked, stepping toward her.

"No, I…" She trailed off as he placed his hand on hers. She stared at it for a few moments, seeming to forget what she was doing (and she still hadn't explained it to the two boys anxiously waiting to see what the Vanitas fuss was about). Ven watched, something in her gaze sinking low into his stomach. _Maybe Naminé was right…_

After debating whether to break up the moment or not, Ven looked around the hall, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. It was obvious Aqua had been bothered before about Vanitas. Since she was in some sort of daze now because Terra had touched her hand, she seemed to have forgotten her worry. This could be useful in the future to know Terra was a key way to distract her.

"Aren't we here for something?" He asked, glancing between Terra and Aqua with a look of submission. He wasn't sure what was going on between them, but it wasn't his business. His business was figuring out what was up with Naminé. And since asking got him nowhere, this was his best lead.

Aqua snapped out of her daze immediately, and Terra tensed, giving Ven a double take. They had both zoned out, apparently.

_That was really sappy, _Ven thought, scratching the back of his head.

Terra's eyes hardened, and he turned the doorknob rather forcefully, pushing the door open. Aqua looked up at him, her eyes wide in a surprised manner. Then she slowly slipped her hand out from under his, pushing her way into the room with a lot less rage than she had when she had arrived at the door.

Ven was next into the room, giving Terra a questioning look as he passed. He tried to make it understandable that he wanted to know what just happened, but he wasn't going to pry. He was finally old enough to understand this type of thing. And it seemed it all came with a rush of information. And maybe a peck from Naminé.

The first thing he noticed was the floor. It was dotted with dried blood, though it was easy to miss. The spots were small. Except for the one by the carpet…

Ven blinked. No. That's too obvious. He glanced at Aqua as he felt Terra walk up behind him. Now that he paid attention, he could hear it. The heavy breathing of a scared individual. In fact, he knew the sound rather well.

_His breathing was erratic as he held his side, tears streaming down his face. His brother jumped away as a bullet was fired at his head. It hit a paint can that had sat carefully behind him, causing the red liquid to explode over the walls, and over him. Like he didn't have enough red on him._

_Pain etched over his tiny body as he tried to think clearly. Where was his brother? What had just happened? Was he alright? _

_The man who had shot at them swore loudly as the light he was holding clattered to the ground and cracked. It flickered feebly before the boy found himself in darkness once more. But his brother was nowhere to be found. There was no comfort this time._

_His breathing quickened in terror._

Ven shook his head, his hand flying to his left side subconsciously. His breath rattled along with the breath of the boy curled on the bed. An array of dark spikes and a twitching black lump that Ven assumed was Vanitas's body was all he could see.

Ven tilted his head at Aqua, positive she'd run to the boy's side, and call to him in worry. But the blue haired girl simply stood there, her eyes hard, emotionless. Her face held the same quality.

"Aqua…?" Ven asked, trying to recall a time when she had an expression to mirror the coldness of the one she was wearing. Nothing came to mind.

Aqua looked at him, her lips pressed thinly together, and she narrowed her eyes. "Let's go," she said, her voice holding a cool, low tone. She brushed past Ven and Terra, her eyes downcast.

Ven grabbed her wrist, causing her to halt in the doorway.

"You're just going to leave him?" Ven asked, trying to keep himself from sounding angry. It wasn't working.

Terra watched him with an intent stare, before he looked at Aqua as well. His expression turned skeptical.

Aqua turned her head, blinking at her friend with surprise. "You're… mad." She said slowly. Her tone was soft, innocent. It reminded him of Naminé. His thoughts drifted to the chewed up black rug that laid only a few feet away.

"It's not like you to leave someone hurt like this." Ven said, his eyebrows furrowing. Keeping his voice even was a challenge. His lips twitched as he spoke. Aqua was acting strange, and Ven wanted desperately to know why.

Aqua stared blankly at him. "I…" She glanced at Vanitas, his heavy breathing and fitful twitching that seemed to be more like convulsions than anything making him a pitiful sight. Either that or a scary one. "It's just him, Ven."

"You don't want to help him?" Ven asked, his anger completely unhidden this time, out for her to see and hear.

Aqua's gaze fell on him, and she shook her head. "Ven, it's complicated. He's… I mean, even if I wanted to, he wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't what?" The blond asked, his eyes widening in confusion. "What's going on with you, Aqua?"

The girl simply stared at him. It was at this point that both teenagers noticed Ven had grown taller than the blue haired maiden. Much like Vanitas, he had to hover at least an inch or two over her.

Terra, who had been watching this exchange in silence, spoke up abruptly. "Aqua, you know him." Terra's eyes were focused intensely on her. "If anyone can help him, you can. You know him best, don't you?"

Ven had a rush of a thought that maybe Aqua didn't like Terra, and that she had a crush on Vanitas instead. That she had been frozen in guilt outside the door. But Ven decided this was probably wrong, because Aqua was willing to let Vanitas die. This fact scared him.

"No." Aqua said slowly, glancing away from Terra's face. "I don't know him very well at all. I know some things about him that other people don't but… all of it is best left untouched."

"Does he scare you?" Terra asked, peering down at her.

Aqua, who still had her gaze averted, shook her head. "I feel bad for him."

"Then why don't you help him?" Ven asked, waving his arms in surprise. "Come on, Aqua!"

Aqua's eyes flickered to him. "Ven, you don't understand—"

"_Tell_ me, then!" Ven shouted, causing both Aqua and Terra to flinch. "Why is it such a big secret?"

"Because… some of this stuff… it's not good, Ven." The look on her face told all. It really was not good.

"How bad can it be?" Ven asked.

Aqua stared at him, her eyebrows raising a little. Terra closed his eyes. Vanitas was trying to rip his hair out, and they were bickering?

"Bad." Aqua said quietly. "Ven, he knows everything. He knows every secret of the Dark Region. He… he's not a good person, Ven."

"Bad people are still people." Ven whispered. His grip loosened on her wrist, and his fingers slid to his side. He gazed at her, his eyes narrowing into a glare. "What kind of person are you, Aqua?"

This got her to turn, and stare at him. She looked utterly heart broken, and Ven knew this question had struck a nerve. Terra had tensed immediately. Aqua looked at him. She gave him a long look, and her eyes flashed with something like revelation and sadness.

"I'm sorry." She gasped, her eyes widening. Terra blinked, his tanned face contorting in confusion. Aqua hurried past them, toward the twitching boy. She place a hand on his shoulder, gently flipping him on his back. Ven blinked, and looked at Terra for some answers. But he seemed just as confused as he was.

Aqua placed her hand on the boy's chest, and it glowed feebly. The twitching did not cease. It didn't even slow. Aqua sat there for a moment, before she slumped.

"This is mental." She said quietly, standing up. "I can't heal it."

"Why is there blood on the floor then?" Ven asked, kneeling next to the rug.

Aqua looked around the floor. "I healed his wound." She said slowly. "But the rest is all mental. Most if it is mental, actually."

"Why did you say you were sorry?" Terra asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Aqua looked at him. She took a deep breath, and looked down. "I… I realized the way I was treating Vanitas wasn't fair. To him and to you."

Terra looked completely lost. Then his eyes widened. "You're comparing me to him?" Terra asked, though he didn't sound angry.

Aqua closed her eyes, and shook her head. "No." She murmured. "You're nothing alike. But you have one thing in common. Something I blame him for, but not you. It's not fair to either of you, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't treat him like that."

"It's understandable." Terra said calmly, looking at Vanitas's twitching form. "The way he acts, I don't blame you. I was just worried about how he affected you." He gave her a hard look. "You weren't acting like yourself just now. At all."

"No." Aqua sighed, and ran her fingers through her hair. "I wasn't. Sorry."

"What did she do?"

Both Aqua and Terra looked down at Ven. He was still kneeling in front of the rug, but now it was overturned. This revealed large drops of blood. The duo stared, letting it click in their minds.

"Naminé?" Terra asked slowly.

Ven nodded. Aqua looked sick to her stomach. Not because of the blood, but because she knew she had been in the room when this had happened. She just had been asleep. A mere few feet away.

She looked at Vanitas, and shook her head. He was murmuring things under his breath. "Naminé was in here earlier. And I know Vanitas wasn't like this," she jerked her head to his twitching body, "this morning."

"And Naminé had the knife already when I went into her room earlier." Ven said, standing up.

"She did it last night," Terra said slowly, "then came back in the morning to… what?" He looked between Ven and Aqua. "Screw with his head?"

"Can she even do that?" Aqua asked, her eyes widening.

Ven was silent. "I… I have no idea. Xion has the ability to do something similar. So…" He looked up. "Why not?"

"Xion?" Aqua asked, staring blankly at him. Terra didn't seem as surprised.

Ven shrugged, and looked at the twitching boy. "Should I ask her to reverse it?"

"If it can be reversed." Terra muttered. Aqua and Ven gave him looks of annoyance.

Aqua looked at Ven and nodded. "Go ahead," she smiled gently. "You'll have the best luck getting through to her."

* * *

Walking through the Dark Region town, he felt colder and colder. The place was a walking ball of depression. It made _him _depressed.

People walked along the street, clothed for the winter storms. Fliers told him it was the Master's son's birthday party in a few days. But he already knew that.

He wrapped his coat around him, wondering whether or not he should've thought this through better. But he was here now, right? He might as well use this chance.

But the farther he walked, the more he wanted to leave. Oh well…

"Ven!"

The boy froze, then spun on his heel to face whoever had just called out.

It was a boy with silver hair. A bandana around his neck, and a heavy coat keeping him warm. He seemed friendly enough.

"Ven! I haven't seen you in a while! Not since that last Gathering, right?" The silver haired boy was holding a shopping bag. He was smiling, looking extremely happy to see him.

The boy simply stared back, unsure of what to say.

"I saw Vanille again." The silver haired boy said, glancing behind him at a woman who was strolling toward them. "I think I made her sad, though. I wish I had said more to her."

The woman stopped behind the silver haired boy, and peered down at the other boy with a look of authority about her. Again the boy just stared.

"Anyway, we just got done shopping for Light, because apparently the word 'dress' is not in her vocabulary." This earned a glare from the woman, leaving the boy feeling very intimidated. The silver haired boy seemed to ignore the heated glare, because he just watched him curiously. "You're not very talkative today, are you?" He glanced behind the boy, and frowned. "Where's Naminé?"

The boy had no answer.

Because he simply had no clue what this boy was talking about.

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_This isn't the last time Ven gets mad. XD_

_So, I'm getting hyped up on Angel's (Divine Wolfe) birthday present, because it's really fun to make. I'm still only on part one of it though. Hopefully by wednesday I'll be done so I can work on the story. Cause I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a snow day. :D_

_Ask questions if you want. But for the most part they will be answered. *Yawns*_

_Frick. I'm almost fourteen. Ew._

_Wee~_

_Next Chapter: Skirmish_


	42. Skirmish

**White Knight: Forty Two :Skirmish**

He felt heavy walking to Naminé's room. Like weights had been strapped to his ankles, and he was being forced to walk miles under the pressure. Taking this to mind, he found that reaching for the girl's doorknob was an even more difficult task. He was afraid that Naminé had changed. She wasn't acting like herself, and ever since… ever since the countdown she had been strange. Well, stranger than usual. She was almost even more out of the loop. Like she had been before she had gotten into talking to him. It was a scary thought, her reverting, and he really hoped he was wrong. It could be Xion again. But then, maybe not. He was so unsure, it was driving him crazy. And… he was getting angry with her.

He plucked up his scattered courage in haste, pushing the door open with a flourish. He found the blonde laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling with disinterest. Her eyes flickered to the door, then back at the ceiling. Her expression didn't change.

"Ventus." She said, her voice ringing dully.

Ven closed the door, and made his way to the bed in four long strides. "You're different." He said, his voice echoing in the blank room.

The blonde simply stared at him. Her eyes had widened a little, and her pale eyebrows rose. She sat up, frowning deeply. "Why do you say that?" She asked, brushing some unruly hair from her eyes.

Ven tilted his head at her. He looked a little sad, watching her intently. He spun on his heel, bending over to collect the knife from the floorboards. He held it up, the dried blood still managing to glisten in the sunlight streaming from the large window. Naminé's eyes narrowed.

"I told you not to touch that." She said, her voice low.

"Will you attack me if I don't listen?" Ven asked, raising his eyes so he could look straight into hers. "I give you permission to." He tossed the knife into the air, catching the blade in his palm, holding the handle to her. She stared at it, her eyes widening.

"Go on." Ven said, jabbing the handle in her face. "Take it. Do to me what you did to Vanitas."

Her eyes widened even more, and her mouth dropped open. "You… saw…" She gasped, seeming unable to finish the sentence.

"Take it, Naminé." Blood slid down Ven's hand, dropping onto the floor. Naminé didn't seem to know how to react to this. Ven didn't flinch. That's when Naminé realized.

This was what happened when someone made Ven inexplicably angry.

She'd been the first one to manage this feat.

But his eyes shone with anger, and hurt, with an icy glare tinged with sadness and rage.

"Ven, Vanitas will be fine." Naminé said, her breathing quickening. "Really, I was just trying to teach him a lesson. No one was supposed to see him like that."

"What did you do?" Ven asked, his voice disturbingly calm. "Go inside his head, make him do something? I thought you'd care about other people's feelings, Naminé. You should know better than to do something like that."

"His feelings are the reason I did it!" Naminé shouted, her eyes watering. "Ven, please, you don't understand!"

"Then make me." Again the knife was jabbed toward her. But this time it was thrust into her hand.

"No," Naminé shook her head. "I can't. It doesn't work like that."

"Explain, then."

"I can't!"

Her face was completely contorted in desperation, and frustration. She seemed disgusted, with herself most likely. Tears rimmed her eyes, threatening to pool over and spill down her rosy cheeks.

Ven looked completely blank. The stare he gave her was cold. The anger was there, behind the thick, thick layers of ice.

"Fine." Ven said, spinning around. He could hear a sob escape the girl from behind him. "Whatever your motive was, I don't care. You're keeping secrets from me, and you're hurting people." Ven stopped. He threw a look over his shoulder, his gaze burning her flesh. "I think it's time we go back to being simple master and servant."

Naminé's heart dropped into her stomach, and tears slipped down her cheeks. She shook her head, her mouth opening with shock. A tiny noise escaped her. A whimper. A sob. A cry.

Ven left the room, leaving it colder and emptier than ever.

Naminé sat for a few moments, his name on her tongue. But in never seemed to leave her mouth.

Then she completely broke down.

_I guess you win, Vanitas,_ she thought, as she slid to the floor, her body racking with sobs. _You took away the thing I care about most without even trying. _

* * *

The news came that Naminé wouldn't reverse it. Or Ven assumed she wouldn't. It didn't seem like she would. Terra sat with Aqua, watching, listening to the mutters of Vanitas.

"It's pitiful." Terra observed. Aqua nodded.

"He's a child on the inside, I think." She said quietly. "He's selfish, and conceited, and somehow he can be like this." She gestured to his quivering form. "You have to feel bad for him."

Ven had left the room already, looking sad. He had said he needed to get his thoughts together. Now Terra and Aqua were simply huddled on the floor, watching Vanitas twitch.

"When did you start speaking to him?" Terra asked, his eyes still on the younger boy. Aqua looked up at her friend, surprised.

"Huh?" A little ice cube dropped into her chest at the thought of Terra finding out about her and Vanitas's strange relationship. If it could be called that. She wasn't sure what it was. She knew he had some twisted affections for her, but he was despicable. He couldn't show them clearly.

"You had no clue who he was before." Terra said, his eyes flickering to the girl's face. "I was just wondering. When did you start talking to him?"

Aqua blinked, trying to recall the first time she had spoken to Vanitas. "Your Gathering." She said, her voice quiet. "He was being a jackass… and then we had to go on a mission together." The truth. Altered slightly, but still the truth.

Terra looked down. "Right." He murmured.

Aqua looked up at him. Her stomach fluttered a little, their closeness settling into her brain. He seemed oblivious to her stare, his eyes focused on something else, not Vanitas, not her, something far from the room, the world.

And suddenly she felt like some kind of freedom had just been revealed to her.

Like a new path had been opened.

* * *

Night had fallen on the Dark Region.

There was a stranger wandering the halls of the mansion. No one looked twice at him. No one saw anything out of the norm.

He stopped a young maid, asking her a question that made her look at him strangely.

"Up the stairs, and down the hall. It's about five doors down, I think." She gave him a long look of confusion as he thanked her, and hurried up the stairway.

He was very unsure. He knew this wasn't a good idea, but he felt this was something he had to do.

The door was there. He was slow to open it. He could hear crying from down the hall. He wasn't sure he had the right room.

Even when he snuck inside, he felt that he was wrong.

There was a girl there, small, fragile looking, curled up in the corner. He bit his lip, throwing a look over his shoulder to make sure no one was behind him. Then he closed the door, taking a timid step toward her.

The room was strange. Purely white, with zero color except for what seemed to be dried up flowers and blood stains.

The boy did not want to think about why the blood stains were there.

Another timid step resulted with the girl snapping her head up, surprised to find someone was in her room. She blinked at the boy twice, her eyes puffy and red to an extreme. Then, to the boy's surprise, the girl leapt to her feet and ran at him.

The boy held up his arms to shield himself, expecting the girl to strike him. But instead, he was knocked to the ground.

He was a little brain fried. It had been for a while. It was probably the reason he had decided to come. So it took him a little while to process the fact that this tiny girl was kissing him.

His eyes widened, and he twisted, trying to find a way to get the girl off of him. Obviously she didn't know who he was.

He seemed to have made it worse. The kiss deepened, and he felt suddenly very embarrassed. Sure, he didn't really mind kissing the girl, even though she tasted like tears, but he was basically taking advantage of a sad girl who had no clue who he was.

Very slowly the boy placed his hands on her face, forcing her lips from his. Her eyes flickered open, and she stared at him. He noticed her gaze was a very calming blue.

The boy's face flushed automatically under her stare. "Hi," he breathed, a little shaken by the fact the girl had just kissed him.

The girl in turn looked crestfallen as she continued to gaze upon him. She squinted, and quickly made an assumption.

"Hi." She said in a small voice, pulling back from the boy.

He sat up, watching as she leaned her back against a wall. She looked dazed now, but still incredibly sad.

The boy stood, still flushing, trying to figure out what to say. Luckily she spoke before him.

"You're not Ven." She said, her eyes downcast. The boy stared at her, nodding.

"I'm Roxas." The boy said, peering at her. She smiled a little, and nodded.

"I know."

Roxas paused, his lips twisting a bit. "Did Ven tell you about me?" He asked, taking a step toward her.

She shrugged. "He doesn't remember too much." She said quietly. "But the things he has remembered are things he's told me. Unless he's hiding things." She slid down the wall, onto her knees. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"He doesn't remember?" Roxas murmured.

The girl nodded again. Her voice was quiet, soft, cracking every so often. She looked like she was holding back tears.

Roxas took a deep breath, and sighed. The girl watched him, holding her hands folded over her chest.

"You…" She said quietly. Roxas blinked at her. "You should go home."

Roxas's eyes widened a bit. "What? But—"

"You and Ven should go home." She corrected herself, closing her eyes. "You and Ven… should just…"

Roxas stared at her. He looked back at the door. He had no clue where Ven would be, let alone how to convince him to come back to the Light Region with him.

He looked back at the girl. He wasn't so sure about this anymore. In fact, he had never been too sure to begin with. It had all just been a rash idea that he couldn't help.

"Please." She whispered, her eyes widening. They did not leave the floor, though. "Please, Roxas. Just go. Take Ven and go…" She covered her mouth with her hands. Roxas stared at her, his eyes widening.

"Hey…" He said, reaching toward her. "Hey, I'm sorry…"

"Please!" She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with tears. "Go! Please, just… just…"

Roxas stared at her, his hand hovering above her head. What was he supposed to do? Comfort her? Do what she told him to? He couldn't just stand there all night while she broke down into hysterics.

Speaking of which…

Roxas slowly knelt down as she buried her face in her hands. Small sobs escaped her lips as she tried to scuttle away from Roxas's immobile hand. He didn't know how to even _begin _to comfort the girl. All he knew about her was her name, that she knew Ven (apparently well enough to kiss him), and she was sad.

That was enough, right?

Roxas took a chance and scooted closer to her, lowering his outstretched hand. She stiffened as he leaned against the wall next to her.

"I'm not Ven." Roxas said looking down at his knees. "But you can talk to me if you want."

Her sobs became a little louder, making Roxas feel very insecure. He closed his eyes, trying to remember where his courage went.

He turned, opening his eyes to look down at the sobbing girl once again. He reached toward her, pulling her by the arm until she tumbled onto his chest. She froze, her sobbing quieting slightly with her shock. Roxas wrapped his arm around her, placing his opposite hand on her head.

"Okay." He said quietly. "It's okay. You can just cry. Sometimes that makes it better."

Her body began to tremble, her breathing becoming irregular. Roxas could feel her tears seeping into the front of his shirt.

Then she began to wail. She slumped against his chest, trembling. Roxas glanced up at the ceiling, absently stroking her hair. He was use to this. He was good at it, even.

She was still a stranger, though. A stranger who kissed him, and was probably a very, very good friend of his brother's.

And Roxas had a hunch that whatever the reason was that the poor girl was crying was because of his twin.

It was awful, and Roxas was still unsure how he was going to get away with being in the Dark Region. Chances were he'd get chewed out big time when (or if) he got home.

Whatever. He could deal. He just needed to find Ven. Truth be told, now that Roxas saw this girl, he wasn't sure if he would care if Ven wanted to stay. Sure he'd like it better if Ven wanted to come home, but…

Ven had a life here.

And if the girl was correct, and Ven had forgotten about the Light Region, then it wasn't his place to take him from his home.

If someone could really call the Dark Region 'home'.

Roxas continued comforting the girl, waiting for her to calm down long enough to breathe.

"Hey…" He said as her breathing became slower, more regular.

She pulled away from him, wiping her eyes.

Roxas looked away. He felt really bad for her. He had triggered the sobbing.

The girl looked up at him, her shoulders still trembling.

"I'm... really sorry."

She blinked slowly, and shook her head. "D-don't be." She murmured, slumping against the window. "I deserve this."

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_Whoo. The ending is a bit... normal. Originally I was going to have Roxas ask Nami her name, and end it with "Namine." but then I realized Roxas already knew her name (don't ask, you'll find out later. And it's not overly complicated. Don't over think it, my friends.). So, yeah. Stupid me._

_This chapter is dedicated to **Divine Wolfe **because I'm a loser and I scrapped her birthday present (it turned out weird and she's not the world's biggest angst fan. Plus I must save my angst energy for the end of the story. So I can make her cry. *Huggles Angel* No. XD I doubt you'll cry. It won't be um... that bad? Eh.). I'll end up making another one for her eventually. But for all of you who care, I made her a video. Link in my profile. _

_Yay. Next chapter shall be fun. Right, Angel? ;D I'm also trying very hard to figure out how to put in yet another Nami pairing into this story. You know, that one that I realized I liked like... yesterday? XD Or when I was making your video. Same thing. Except there's already an overload of Nami pairings, and I don't know how this one would work. Wah. Maybe in another story. I could base it off of the story of your video. :D Even though that story made no sense. _

_WHO LIKED THAT ROKUNAMI! *Floats into happiness* I sure did. Like, yum. So that's... three guys who have kissed Nami thus far. _

_Next Chapter: Ricochet_

_(Both Skirmish and Ricochet are words I learned from Fullmetal Alchemist. *Snicker*)_


	43. Ricochet

**White Knight: Forty Three :Ricochet**

Maybe it was the fact that every single death he had caused had just replayed in his mind with tenfold violence and screaming, but Vanitas felt very crappy.

He laid on his bed simply thinking about it.

A knot had twisted up in his stomach. The screams were perpetual. They drummed in his ears continuously, even after the pain in his chest stopped, and he couldn't hear them anymore. They were echoing in his head, hauntingly. A sound that never left. The sound of hell ringing in a continuous cycle.

Flashes of the innocent popped into his head over and over again. He couldn't move, in fear that one of them would be standing behind him.

Of course, the worst of it was the one victim.

Honestly when he had done it, he hadn't thought twice.

It had been a pest. He simply quashed it.

Right?

But after everything was said and done it was that one victim that replayed. Relentlessly.

"_Would you like a flower, mister?"_

He shuddered.

He hadn't even looked at the child who had asked him this question. He just ran his blade through her chest, and walked away, flicking the blood off his Keyblade and onto a few onlookers.

That was a monstrous deed. One of his most monstrous, by far.

It was the one he was most guilty for. Out of all of them. He didn't need to kill her. There had not been a point to it at all. She was just there.

Vanitas had never felt worse in his entire life.

But still, he began to come back to the real world after an hour or so of listening to screaming.

It was then he noticed talking.

He shot up, clutching his chest as he did so. It still hurt, though not as much as he had expected.

There, huddled against the wall, were Aqua and Terra. They had both ceased their talking immediately, gazing at Vanitas in awe. If he weren't so tired he'd be screaming by now.

But the most he got was ringing in his ears, and a few dots in his line of vision.

He groaned, his head dropping into one of his hands. He couldn't think clearly at all. He barely digested what he had just seen.

He froze, and tensed as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Vanitas?" It was Aqua. Vanitas swallowed hard. What was she even _doing_ in his room?

He shrugged her off, not trusting his voice.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying desperately to understand what was happening. Nothing. His head continued to pound, screams wailed dully, and Aqua was still sitting beside him.

Mind numbing.

"Vanitas, please, look at me."

_Go away, _he thought weakly, more dots clouding his vision. _You being here makes this even more embarrassing._

He felt her hand land on his shoulder once more. He flinched as she spun him around, giving him a good look at her face. Or faces, since there were about three of them. He blinked rather slowly, trying to get his head on straight. He felt something cool rest upon his forehead, and he grunted, pulling away.

"You have a fever." The girl stated, her voice an echo against dull screams. "A bad one."

Vanitas shook his head, waving her off. He dared not speak, knowing he'd only stutter, fumbling over words like they were acidic.

Aqua caught his hand, and sighed. He glared at her, though his eyes looked more like molten gold than anything else, and he shook his arm furiously.

"Go away," he groaned, trying to stand. "Let me go."

"Oh, please," Aqua shook her head. "You're an awful person, but I'm not leaving you like this." She stood up, holding his arm above his head. "I _won't_ leave you like this."

"Is this why you walked away from him before?" Terra's voice drifted into Vanitas's line of thought, but he was too dizzy to make a snide remark, or even glare at him.

"Kind of." Aqua said, looking down at Vanitas as if he were some kind of small child throwing a tantrum.

_Bitch_, Vanitas thought, glaring at the wall.

"Vanitas, please look at me." She said, bending down.

"Just get the hell away from me!" He shouted, tearing his hand from hers. "Leave me alone!"

Aqua's eyes widened a bit as the world began to spin more and more violently. Vanitas needed to… to talk to Naminé.

He stood shakily walking stumbling around Aqua. Yes. He'd get Naminé to fix whatever the hell she did to him. Then the screaming would stop, and he'd be okay.

And then his legs gave way.

"Vanitas!" Aqua shouted, her voice only just carrying over the pounding inside his head. He blinked, his cheek resting against the wooden floor.

"_Would you like a flower, Mister?"_

He cringed. No. No he would not like a _fricking flower_.

"Vanitas?" Her voice floated in his head, nearly drowned out by screaming and whispers.

"G-get…" He hissed, his nails digging into the floorboard.

He gritted his teeth as pain flooded through his head. He didn't know what to do. He was unsure about everything. He couldn't… feel… _anything_. He just couldn't. He wouldn't allow it. He wasn't just going to throw away everything he was. He could not feel anything for those goddamn people.

"Vanit—" Aqua was cut off as Vanitas grabbed her by the neck.

"Shut up." He whispered, his face half covered by his mane of unruly hair. The eye that was showing was a crazed molten gold, glued upon her face with rage boiling beneath its surface.

Aqua stayed completely still, though she spun a bit. He tightened his grip around her neck as she watched him warily. She jerked her head a bit as Terra approached, probably looking pissed.

"Don't, Terra." She said, her voice steady. Vanitas glared at her. How the hell was she so calm? His grip tightened further around her neck, and he yanked her head closer to his.

"Get the hell _out_." He hissed, his fingernails digging sharply into her neck. She flinched as he drew blood, letting it slide down her neck in slow rivulets.

Suddenly she smiled.

Vantias froze. What the hell? What was up with this stupid girl?

"Thank you." She said in a tiny voice.

"What—"

"Sleep."

He blinked slowly. She rose her hand, and placed it on his head.

Then he blacked out.

* * *

She had fallen asleep. How distressing.

She watched the shadows, the morning light streaming weakly through her window. She had a lot of time to think. And Ven hadn't come back. She did like Roxas though. His company was just like Ven's. But of course there was something missing.

Ven.

She liked Roxas. Really. But she missed Ven.

And of course, she was still trying to piece together all the nonsense in her head.

Like the things she sometimes knew and sometimes didn't.

Amazingly when she felt the most sane she knew the least. The only things that came to mind were the facts that she was about to do something really, really horrible, and that if she didn't do it Ven would die.

But… Roxas was here, right?

Roxas could take Ven away.

Then she wouldn't have to worry about him!

She smiled a little, curling up against Roxas's still body. Yeah. That was good. She could deal with that.

But how would she go about this?

Was it possible that she could simply ask Roxas to take Ven and leave?

She buried her face into Roxas's arm, and looked up. He really did look like Ven. The same face, same eyes, same hair. His chest rose and fell, and she listened to his soft, rhythmic breathing. Was this what it was like to be alive then? Breathing, without really caring about the world. The sunlight streaked his hair and face white, and he just about blended in perfectly with her room.

She liked him. He was cute, with a sense of seriousness that came with his smiles. They were a tad more conserved than Ven's. He seemed like a fun person. Someone she could bother. Like Ven. She always loved to bother him… he had always been there. Blinking at her with a goofy smile, ready to do whatever she told him. It was fun, and hilarious.

And she was going to miss him so, so dearly it hurt.

Her throat constricted painfully as tears began to well in her eyes.

No. No, she had to be a little stronger now. This wasn't the time to be crying.

She curled up tighter. This wasn't any good. Would Roxas agree? Surely he'd take his brother back with him?

Surely…

Surely…

She sniffled against his sleeve, trying to get her thoughts straight. She had to be stronger. This wouldn't work if she wasn't. She had to really be strong.

She needed to do things for herself.

She needed to stop crying. It wasn't helping.

Just as she shifted to wipe her tears, Roxas jumped into the world of awakening.

"Wha, wha…" His eyes darted around the room, to the bed, the door, the wardrobe, the table, the bloody scissors in the wall, and the dark splotch where she'd stabbed the knife into the floor. Then, finally, he looked at Naminé. His gaze relaxed.

"Oh." He said, his voice laced with fatigue. "Hi there."

She stared at him blankly, trying honestly to understand the strange boy. He was different from Ven. She'd give him that.

"Hi." She said in a small, soft voice.

"You've been crying." The boy observed, wiping his sleeve. She took a deep breathing, and looked down.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, you know." Roxas said gently, reaching toward her.

She flinched.

He pulled back, his expression unchanging. "So what did he do?"

Naminé blinked, and gaped at the blond boy. "What?" She gasped.

"My brother." He said, ruffling his spiky hair. "He did something to make you cry, right?"

Naminé swallowed hard. She closed her fist over her heart, and turned to the window, her breathing sounding off. "He didn't do anything wrong." She said in monotone. "I deserved it."

"What?"

"To be yelled at." She looked back to Roxas, and shook her head. A smile rose to her lips. "You don't see because you don't know me. But I'm not deserving of anyone's care. And yet everywhere I turn, there people are, just handing me their feelings." She then frowned. "Well I actually had to pull them out of one particular person, but I guess you get my point."

"You don't think you deserve to be cared for?" Roxas asked, eyebrows raising.

"No."

"That's ridiculous."

"It's the truth."

"I don't believe that." Roxas was calmer than Ven as well. Ven would've grabbed her hands by now, begging her to not think of herself like that. Or at least old Ven would.

"You don't have to." Naminé sighed. She turned her gaze from him, taking deep, slow breaths.

"Look," she said, her voice cracking. "Look, you should take Ven. Just leave while you can."

"No." Roxas said without skipping a beat. His face was completely straight.

"That's what you came here to do, though!"

"Plans change."

"What?" Roxas had her completely befuddled. He was just going to let his brother stay here after how long he had searched for him? No way. It did not compute.

"Please." Naminé whispered. "I'm begging you."

"But…" Roxas scratched his cheek in thought. "You obviously care a lot for him. I can't take him away from you. That'd be unfair."

"No, that would be perfectly fair." Naminé nodded. "Really."

Roxas looked at her, and laughed. The girl scowled, and looked away. She wasn't going to be able to do this. She need to…

She froze.

She needed to convince him.

"Roxas?" She asked looking at him with a slightly scrutinizing stare.

He watched her blankly as her hand moved behind her. "Yeah?" He asked, peering at her with confusion.

"Can you do me a favor?" Her mind was racing. She knew the outcome of this. It was obvious.

Roxas's face turned to a small smile. "You'd have to tell me what it was first."

"It's simple." She chirped, taking his hand in hers. She pulled her right hand from behind her back, a shining silver object glinting in the morning sun as it was slipping into his palm.

"Kill me." She said, her face falling.

Roxas's face fell as well as she brought his hand, still grasping the bloody knife, upward until the red crusted tip brushed against her collar bone.

His hand began to quiver beneath hers.

"You're not serious." He whispered, staring at the knife in shock. He looked back to Naminé, her face completely still. "You are?"

"Please." She murmured, her fingers sliding down the knife. She grasped it firmly, little trickles of blood sliding down her hands. She brought the knife closer to her chest, sliding it down her skin until it rested just above her heart.

Roxas simply stared. More blood slid down her hand as new blood trickled from her chest. Was this girl insane, or was this a sick joke?

"No way." Roxas whispered. "I… what kind of game is this?"

"Not a game." She said, resting her opposite hand on his arm to keep it steady. "For once, it's not a game. I just want you to kill me. Then take Ven and go."

Roxas stared at her, his mouth dropping open. "You're insane." He stated, looking like he had dropped something crucial to his survival. "Absolutely insane."

"Then just do it!"

The door opened.

Both teens froze.

Naminé was the first to turn her head. And her heart stopped.

Standing in the doorway, with eyes wide in shock, was Ventus.

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_You may be wondering, what does 'Ricochet' have to do with the chapter. Well basically it has to do with Vanitas's and Nami's sudden burts of insaneness backfiring on them._

_Come on. Show of hands, how many of you saw the end coming?_

_Sick. I'm sick. Yes I am. I'm going to try and stay home tomorrow. Weee. Catch up on sleep._

_Divine Wolfe and R. Vienna knew what was going to happen in this chapter. Actually, they're the one who decided whether or not Nami should be suicidal. _

_These subplots are getting rediculous. MUST FINISH STORY!_

_I actually know what's going to happen for the most part. :3_

_O.O So many reviews. It's very surprising._

_Okay, done ranting. Kinda. Did anyone here know that Leonardo Di Caprio likes Code Geass? My love and respect for him have increased. _

_Next Chapter: White Knight (Alternate Title: Blood Knights. Because I was really debating on which one I should name it.)_


	44. White Knight

**White Knight: Forty Four :White Knight**

Whatever happened next was a blur.

Naminé gasped as the knife was ripped from her grasp, letting the blood that was pooling under it slide freely down her hand. Her eyes were wide with amazement, and some kind of fear, as Ven held the knife above her. His expression was twisted. Like he was confused, and a little angry. She flinched as a drop of blood slipped from the tip of the knife, plopping onto the white floor.

"What…" Ven asked, staring from the blonde to the knife with saucer eyes. "What the _heck_ were you doing?"

She simply stared at him blankly, her mouth opening and closing pitifully. He didn't look very mad. Not compared to the day previous. Her eyes trailed from his face, and she shook her head. She had no bravery at this point. She couldn't stand to look at him.

He kept his gaze on her, his eyes filled with confusion. Then he sighed. He tossed knife away, the bloody silver object skidding along the floor. Red was splattered against the white, making the room seem… more so morbid than empty.

Naminé's head snapped up at the sound of tearing fabric. She stared at the blond boy, her both agape, as he took her bleeding hand and slowly wound a piece of his dress shirt around it. "Leave it to you." He said, smiling slightly. "You're such a self-destructive person. Maybe I should've seen this coming."

She gave him a look of utter awe. "Ventus…" She whispered, eyes widening.

"Don't think I'm not still mad at you." Ven tied the fabric in a tight knot before jabbing her lightly in the forehead with his index finger. "You shouldn't have done that to Vanitas. Even if he's a bad person, you shouldn't make yourself one too."

She was too awestruck to really care about what he was saying. He was talking to her. It felt great, but it stung.

Because it ruined everything.

Then Ven spun around.

Naminé sat up straighter, her eyes wide as she looked between Ven and Roxas. Ven's eyes had widened to an amazing length, and his mouth had dropped open in shock. Roxas looked simply surprised to see Ven in the room.

"Ventus…" Naminé said, raising her injured hand.

"WOW!" The blond shouted, launching himself at his twin. "That's so cool! He looks exactly like me!"

"Ventus!" Naminé giggled, her own eyes widening as Ven began to pinch Roxas's cheeks to see if he was real.

Roxas looked like a deer caught in headlights, gaping at his brother in confusion. Naminé tilted her head, and raised her hand to her chest idly.

Then Ven turned to face her again.

"What were you doing?" He asked, his gaze softening.

Naminé stared at him. She brushed away the blood that was beginning to dry on her collar bone, and she smiled gently at him. "Ven, Roxas is here to take you home." She folded an arm across her chest, resting her bloody fingertips on her left forearm. "Isn't that great?"

Ven looked at her. Then, he slouched, sighing deeply. "What do you take me for, Miss Naminé?" He asked, his eyes trailing to Roxas. Their eyes met, mirroring each other perfectly.

Then Roxas turned, looking at Naminé with a gape still plastered on his face. "Why did you do that?" He asked, taking the pale girl by her arm. "What's wrong with you? What's so bad that you'd want to die for it?"

She blinked, and stared at him blankly. She said nothing.

"Naminé?" Ven asked, looking to his small friend with worried eyes. "Naminé…" He took her other arm, a small smile appearing on his lips. "It's selfish of me to say this, but you need to be strong." He let go of her arm and slipped his hand into hers, giving her fingers a tight squeeze. "For me. I'm asking you to be strong for me."

"For…" The tiny girl stared at her fingers. "You?"

"Yes." Ven nodded. "I can't stand it when you hurt yourself. So please, for me, be strong and don't."

_But I…_

"But I…" She whispered, her mind beginning to fog. "But you… oh, Ventus, you don't understand, I… I can't…"

"Naminé." It was Roxas this time. She shook her head, covering her eyes with her injured hand. "Hey, look at me. Please."

She trembled a little, peeking between her fingers at the blond boy identical to her servant. He slipped his hand into her injured one. He gave her a tiny smile of encouragement.

She stared at her bandaged hand in his, then at her uninjured one in Ven's. "Huh?" She whispered, her eyes widening. "What are you two doing?"

"Begging you." Ven said firmly. "Please. Please don't hurt yourself anymore, Naminé. Don't hurt yourself, and don't hurt other people." He gave her the biggest, happiest grin he could muster up. "Don't you see? You don't need to! You've got me, and Aqua. And Terra too, really. So… whatever it is that you feel bad about. Whatever it is that makes you do these things…" His grin widened if possible, and he closed his eyes, his head tilting. "It's not you. And that's why… that's why you're amazing! You have the most wonderful personality, and even when your awful to me, and to yourself, I know it's not really you being awful."

She looked up at him, shocked into silence.

"And…" Ven said, opening his eyes. "I think… I think you're the most insane and fantastic person I know. So please stop doing stuff like this, okay?"

She stared for a few moments longer. "Ventus…" She whispered, looking back down at her hands intertwined with the twins'.

She slipped her hands from theirs, and looked up at them. She smiled and flung her arms around their shoulders, pulling them into a hug. "Thank you." She whispered, her eyes closing. "Both of you. Really."

The twins exchanged looks over her shoulders. Roxas looked a bit confused, while Ven simply smiled brightly.

She released them after a few moments. Ven watched her, her dazed eyes blinking at twins with a blank expression.

"Alright!" She cried, jumping to her feet. Both boys looked at each other, then up at the insane girl.

"Roxas." She said swooping down and catching his chin between her thumb and index finger. "You'll have to do me a different favor."

Roxas, who was taken extremely aback, stared up at her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Ven said nothing, only watching the expressions of his dear friend and brother form. There was a wide smirk on Naminé's lips as she tilted her head at the twin. Roxas glanced at Ven in confusion, before looking back at the blonde girl with surprise. There was an obvious glint in her dazed eyes, and Ven knew that she was happy with what she was doing.

"Favor?" Roxas asked with wary eyes. His eyes widened even more as Naminé's other hand snaked its way to his neck, slowly sliding down to his chest. "Hey, what are you—"

"Shhh," she purred, her hand stopping over his heart. "You still have to do me a favor, silly." She smiled in the strangest sweetness he'd ever seen.

"I'm not killing you." Roxas stated, raising his hand and wrapping it around her thin wrist.

"I know." She sighed rather dramatically. "Sadly. But!" She spun around, scooping the fallen knife from the floor. Still holding onto Roxas's chin, she rose the knife to his cheek. He looked at it with a mixture of fear and amusement. "That just means you'll have to do something else for me."

"Miss Naminé…" Ven murmured, watching the girl with a tilted head. He wasn't really jealous that she was basically molesting his brother. He was only happy it wasn't happening to him. Again.

"Shush," she giggled, looking to her servant. "This is for you too. You just don't have a choice."

"And I do?" Roxas asked, his voice raising in pitch slightly as he eyed the knife.

"Oh yes." Naminé smiled brightly. "I don't own you."

Ven sighed in exasperation. Go figure Naminé would say something like that.

"_Own_?" Roxas spluttered as the pale girl rose the knife, pressing the bloody tip of it to his forehead. She frowned and tilted his head up. Her blood dribbled a down the bridge of his nose. He stared at her in utter shock.

"Ventus is my servant." Naminé said in a simple, emotionless voice. "He must do whatever I say, and keep me as happy as possible. Or else."

"Or else?" Roxas asked through gritted teeth.

"Or else I get thrown in the Gathering Square." Ven said, his own voice rather simple. Not robotic and emotionless like Naminé's, but more innocent, and confused on why Roxas sounded angry.

"Gathering Square?" Roxas whispered. "But… what does that…"

"He'd get whipped. Until death if I ordered it so." Naminé pulled the knife from his forehead. "Luckily I quite like Ventus."

"Yay me." Ven smiled weakly, knowing full well it wasn't funny.

Roxas stared at her. "What… the…" He closed his eyes, and rose his hand to wipe the blood from his forehead.

"Nuh uh!" Naminé shouted, slapping his hand away. "Don't touch it."

"I don't understand." Roxas said, blinking slowly. "What does… why are you…"

"I like you two." Naminé said with a soft giggle. "Really. Two Ventus's. It's like a dream come true."

Ven smiled slightly as Roxas tried to piece together what the girl was talking about. "Don't treat him like you treat me, Naminé." Ven said, standing. She frowned glancing up at him.

"Oh, I'm just teasing." She grumbled, her grip still firm on the boy's chin. "I haven't done anything to him."

"He's not me." Ven said, placing a hand on her wrist. Roxas stared at it blankly. "He isn't used to your personality."

"He'll learn." She said offhandedly, dropping the knife at her side. Ven slowly withdrew his hand, giving Roxas a tilt of the head before backing away.

"Naminé…" Ven murmured, his eyes flickering from the girl to his brother.

"Hush, now." The girl said quietly. She rose her hand, the one that had previously been holding the knife, and carefully pushed the boy's bangs back. Roxas was still. Whether it be he was fearful or he was just going with the flow of the situation was unclear.

She released his chin, but kept his head tilted back with her other hand. Very slowly she placed her index finger on his forehead. With a steady hand she gently slid her finger to the left. She lifted her hand and pressed it against the center of his forehead again. This time she slid her finger upward. She continued, drawing the blood out on his forehead three more times.

Then she stood back, releasing Roxas completely. He blinked, slumping slightly. When he rose his hand to touch the blood doodle his hand was promptly smacked again. Naminé turned to Ven, who was still standing a few feet away.

"What is that?" He asked, pointing to Roxas. "A star?"

"Sort of." She said, taking a step toward him. Ven blinked, and looked down at her. She smiled slightly and placed her left hand on his shoulder. Her other one was at her side, blood evident on her fingertips.

She forced some pressure on his shoulder, and Ven got the message. He knelt down, glancing at his shoulder as she pulled her hand away. There was a thin line of blood that had seeped through the makeshift bandage and onto his shirt. He wondered if he would be able to find a first aid kit anywhere to help her.

Naminé pushed Ven's hair back as she had done with Roxas. The boy said nothing, and did not object when she began to draw the star on his forehead as well. She was so odd, he figured this was a game. That she had completely forgotten about her suicide attempt.

She stepped back, and admired her handy work. Ven felt his bangs fall back onto his forehead, sticking a bit uncomfortably to the bloody star.

"What is this?" Ven asked trying to resist the urge to touch the little star.

Naminé smiled. Her eyes were less dazed. They had more clearness to them. But as Ven searched her gaze, he noted there was no sharp quality. Her eyes were unusually soft, but clear in terms of focus. He tilted his head, trying very hard to not comment on the gaze.

"It's my way of marking you two." She said with a tiny smile. She turned to Roxas, who had pushed his bangs up to keep blood from getting up them.

"I'm sorry for my actions, Roxas." She said, folding an arm across her chest and frowning. "I… must really be confusing you."

"A little." Roxas muttered, letting his bangs fall back.

"Ventus." She turned back to her friend. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. "You're my servant. I… I'm sorry I never treated you right. And I'm sorry that you don't even care that… that I'm horrible to you." She blinked at him, looking for a reaction.

"You're not horrible to me." Ven said, smiling. "You just…"

"Am horrible to you." Naminé stated, standing up straighter. "Say it. I'm horrible to everyone."

"No you're not." Ven shook his head, looking between Naminé and his brother behind her. "You can be cruel, but you're not horrible."

She stared at him. She smiled slightly, and turned away. "You love seeing the good in people, don't you?" She asked, looking down. "But you're wasting your efforts on me."

"You have such a bad outlook on yourself." Ven sighed, standing. She said nothing.

He walked to her side, and grabbed her arm. He spun her around, his hands landing on her shoulders as she looked up at him in surprise.

"Stop hating yourself!" Ven cried as he began to shake her shoulders furiously. "Be happy!"

He stopped shaking her, and stepped back. Maybe in fear of her lashing out. But she simply stared at him. Her mouth fell open, and she gaped for a few moments.

Then she began to giggle.

She looked between Ven and Roxas, a tiny smile on her lips. "I'm sorry. I can't seem to get a grasp of my personality at all today."

She brushed her hair from her eyes, and swallowed. "I want you two to take those marks on your forehead and use them."

"Do they grant us super powers?" Roxas asked, standing up as well.

Naminé laughed a little, her eyes showing a bit more light than earlier. "No." She said, shaking her head and clasping her hands behind her back. "They mark a promise." She took a deep breath, her smile falling.

"Promise?" Ven and Roxas asked in unison, earning them another small giggle.

"I want you two to promise me…" She looked up at the ceiling. "I want you two to promise me that you'll keep me out of trouble. Whether it be from myself or someone else. Keep me away from it." She looked at them, pressing her lips into a thin line.

"You want us to protect you?" Ven asked, his head tilting to the side. "But I'd do that without you having to ask."

"I know." She said quietly, and she smiled. "And thank you. But this is more serious." She gave them both a look of hardness.

"You have to keep me out of trouble. If you don't, then kill me."

They stared blankly at her. Ven's mouth dropped open, while Roxas looked simply taken aback.

"No way!" Roxas shouted. "Stop that! We're not going to kill you, so just—"

"Do you care about Sora and Kairi, Roxas?" Naminé asked, turning to the side and walking toward the window.

Roxas froze. He hadn't said anything about Sora or Kairi. So how did she…

"How about your Master?" She asked, raising her pale hand, and placing it on the cool glass.

Roxas swallowed, and stared at her back.

"How about friends? Do you have any other friends in the Light Region?"

"Of course I do." Roxas said in a low tone. "But where are you…"

She spun around. Her eyes were wide, and she grasped the metal twining of the window. "If you two don't help me, then they will all be gone."

Roxas's body completely froze up at this. His mind couldn't digest her words.

"So now…" She looked between the twins and turned back to the window. "Both of you are now my Knights. Protect me well, or kill me later."

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_As I said last chapter, I was torn between naming this one White Knight and Blood Knights. Angel told me to name it White Knight so I did. See how much influence she has on this story? She even convinced me to kill someone I originally intended to spare. (Oh, you liar. You do too like angst!) That's the only spoiler you'll have though, Wolfie. _

_I'm gonna cut this a little short. The next chapter did not take me long at all. I had a lot of fun writing it too. THE FLUFF! Ahem. So if you're wondering why Roxas and Ven didn't have a huge reunion, don't worry. I'll get to that shit. Nami just got in the way. _

_I was really tempted to put, "Whatever's hurting you... I'll make it go away."_

_Except that's a Namiku line that makes me think Namiku. (Though I think it was the Riku Replika (*gigglesnort*) who said it. Whatevah.)_

_Next Chapter: For Once_

_I think that's what I named it. O.o_


	45. For Once

**White Knight: Forty Five :For Once**

The world felt empty. Scary, and empty, and utterly deserted. Unlike anything, any place, any dream. It was awful, and suffocating, and it just seemed like there was no end to the torture.

It was a feeling of loneliness he had never encountered before. It was scary. An unknown realm of sorrow he just couldn't get out of. So what now? What was he supposed to do?

He pulled his legs tighter to his chest, trying to block out everything drumming in his head. The thoughts that boiled just below the surface, trembling against his very being. Waiting patiently to break through his happiness and engulf him in terror.

"_Get off me! Kairi, Roxas!"_

He cringed, and shook his head. No… he couldn't…

_A steely room, a fluorescent hall. He didn't know what to think. It was all so confusing. _

Hadn't it always been confusing?

_The man shoved him rather roughly into the room. He stumbled, and looked at the man with narrowed eyes. What a creep. The man gave him a rather snotty look, sticking his nose and the air and walking from the boy with an air of superiority._

_He looked around, trying to piece together all the likely ways to get out. There was no way he'd be able to unlock that door, but maybe he could catch that snotty blond by surprise and get the key? _

_And then his eyes fell on the girl._

_She was peering at him curiously from behind a rather scary looking table, her eyes wide, and a light but perceptive blue that reminded him sorely of someone else. She was tiny, and exceedingly frail looking, with pale skin, and scrawny looking arms and legs. Her whole body looked like it would collapse at any given moment. Her dress seemed to be to short for her, reaching her thighs, but it hung loosely on her frame like a potato sack. Her hair looked like long slender pieces of straw stuck on an ice sculpture. _

_He blinked slowly, digesting the fact that there was a tiny, pale, and possibly sick girl standing in a lab used to make who-knows-what kind of experiments. _

"_Hi." He said, stepping toward her. She simply blinked at him. "Did they kidnap you too?"_

_She turned her head, gripping the side of the table worriedly. When she glanced back at the boy, he noted her surprised expression._

"_Hey," he hurried to her side, making her jump. "Are you okay? You look sick. Is that why you're here? Are you getting a check up?"_

_She stared at him in absolute awe. Slowly, she nodded._

_He looked around, scratching his head in confusion. "This must be where they brought Kairi, I guess."_

_She watched him, her eyes still wide, and her mouth agape. She looked around quickly, before giving the boy a look that might imply pity. She bit her lip, her eyes trailing to the door. She quickly ran to it, reaching out her hand. Her fingers landed on the keypad, and danced along it in a few quick motions. She looked back, not at him, but at the door at the back of the lab, leading to wherever the man had gone. With haste she stepped back, pressing one last button. The large, intimidating door slid open with a zip._

_This time the boy was in awe. The girl was helping him escape? Why in the world would she do such a thing?_

_She turned slowly, folding an arm across her chest. Her hand landed on her opposite forearm. She looked at him, her eyes heavy with sadness._

"_Hurry," she said, her voice as soft as flower petals, "Sora."_

"Sora."

The boy jumped, breaking himself from his memory. He had never noticed this memory before. That blonde girl. She was new.

He turned, looking to the door. It wasn't the blonde girl, of course. He stared blankly at his red haired friend, before closing his eyes. "Hi, Kairi."

She stared at him, her eyes a little tired. She was wearing her hair up, twirled into a messy bun. She was not wearing her pink zippered dress, but rather a strange sunset colored one. It floated along her knees, the fabric seeming to ripple in the air like water. She stepped over the clothes and trinkets that littered the floor, making her way to Sora's bed.

He watched her, a small frown gracing his features. He hated frowning. But this couldn't be helped. The red head gave him a tiny smile as she sat down on his bed. The air in the room seem to release a wave of freshness, and Sora felt his shoulders slump.

She leaned back against the window, her eyes dropping to the town below. She sighed lightly, while Sora simply watched her.

"A lot has changed, huh?" She asked, her gaze still reaching across the town. Sora nodded, his eyes on her face. She was tan, like him, but not incredibly so. They both had the complexion of being sun-kissed, like they had been in the summer sun all their lives. This was something Roxas did not have, for an odd reason. And Riku, like most of the Dark Region, was paler than average.

"Remember when we were little?" She asked, her gaze flickering to him. "We used to play so many games. Me and you, and Roxas and Ven. It was so much fun. I felt like I had been given the best thing in the world, just being with you three."

"Yeah." Sora said quietly. "We all felt that way."

She closed her eyes, a bit of hair sliding over her face. "I was never a good fighter. I still can't wield any kind of weapon, no matter how hard I try."

Sora looked at her curiously. She had not opened her eyes. "But I hate being useless. I hate the fact that I can't protect anyone because I need to be protected myself."

At this, Sora slumped further. He shook his head, trying his best to smile. "No one minds protecting you Kairi," he said gently. "We want to. We feel like it's our job to."

"No." She opened her eyes. They were still a tired blue. "Sora, Roxas is gone."

Sora jumped up to a sitting position. "What?" He spluttered, feeling his stomach drop. "What do you mean? Kairi, what does that mean?"

She looked down. She shook her head, and began to chew on her lower lip. "He's not in the Light Region. We think he might've left."

"Left?" Sora repeated blankly. "_Left_? To go where? The _Dark Region_?"

"Ven's there, Sora."

Sora froze. His whole being seemed to freeze, all emotions and thoughts halting. Ven. _Ven_. "_What_?" Sora gasped, his eyes widening in complete shock.

"I know. I didn't know what to think either. Apparently the Master… he's known since Riku first came here."

Sora looked at her sharply. "You aren't serious." He said, his eyebrows furrowing. "Master Eraqus… he wouldn't keep that from us."

"He said he had to." Kairi whispered, leaning back. "He knew Roxas would try and find Ven. That's why he kept it a secret."

"But the Dark Region is—" Sora near shouted.

"I know." Kairi nodded, quieting Sora. "But he's fine. I mean, according to Master Eraqus he's lost all of his memory. He's living as a servant."

"A servant?" Sora repeated. "_Ven_?"

Kairi smiled a little. "It's not hard to believe. He's always been a little submissive. Especially compared to Roxas."

"Roxas is only submissive to you." Sora muttered, slumping again.

"All of you are." Kairi said with a small giggle. "But it's not just me. You all have a soft spot for girls."

Sora blinked at her, before blushing. "Nuh uh." He pouted.

"Uh huh." She laughed, brushing her auburn hair from her eyes. Sora smiled a bit, feeling a laugh of his own bubble in his throat. But he forced it down.

"So Roxas ran away?" Sora asked, feeling the happy mood that might've came get squashed. Kairi blinked at him, and nodded.

"I'm not sure when he'll be back…" She said slowly. "If he comes back at all."

Sora looked at her. It was a forceful stare, but not harsh. "Don't say that." He said quietly. "Roxas wouldn't just leave us."

"Roxas might not have a choice." Kairi pulled her legs onto the bed, closing her eyes. "I've been seeing things lately." She murmured. Sora looked down. "Things, people, stars."

"Stars?" Sora asked, raising an eyebrow.

She opened her eyes, and smiled at him. "Yeah." She giggled, reaching into the pocket of her dress. "Stars… but not regular ones."

In her hands she held out a star. Sora blinked at it, surprised to find it was colored brightly, and even more amazingly made from seashells. It was strung together feebly, but it looked sturdy. Sora tilted his head, and took the star in his hands. He smiled, his eyes landing on the little doodle upon a shell. A smiley face.

"It reminded me of you." Kairi laughed. Sora looked at it, and then at Kairi.

"What about this thing reminded you of me?" He asked, trying not to pout again.

"The _face_!" She grinned pointing. "See. You make it all the time."

"Do not!"

"Yes you do!" She leaned forward, pinching his cheeks up. "See?"

"Not really."

Kairi stared at him, her eyes looking more alive than they had when she had entered the room. Then she fell back, her hands slipping from his face. Her eyes drifted away again. Toward the Light Region wall this time.

"So… I have a sister." She said, as Sora began to fiddle with the star. He looked up at her with a blank expression.

"Huh?"

Kairi smiled, pushing her hair behind her ears. "A sister. Half, I think. She got kidnapped a really long time ago. She's living in the Dark Region now."

"Are you serious?" Sora asked, gaping. "A sister… wait, wait, wait!" He held up a finger, freezing as he began to think. "Wait. Okay, wait."

"Sora." Kairi said, her voice indicating a giggle.

"You mean Aqua, right?"

Kairi blinked at him. "How did you…"

"You two kinda look alike." Sora said, scratching the side of his nose, and smiling. "I mean, except for the fact that she's older, and her hair is short. And blue."

"Yeah."

There was silence between the duo. Kairi looked down, while Sora simply blinked in thought.

"Our lives are _weird_."

Kairi just smiled.

* * *

"Wake up, Vanitas."

The boy did not stir. Aqua sighed, and looked around the room. She'd sent Terra to get some sleep, with a promise that she'd try and do so as well. But right now she was just trying to make sure she had knocked Vanitas out cold.

She wondered if she should pull the covers over him, or if she should just leave him. Well, knowing him he'd probably just try and kick them off anyway. No use trying.

Debating on whether she should sleep in his room or not was next on the agenda. The fact that he had a high fever and was just extremely ill altogether weighed one hand, while the other held her desire to sleep in her own bed and the fact that Vanitas did not _want_ her in here.

She glanced at him. He was paler than usual, looking almost pallid. She tilted her head, and brushed a piece of black hair from his face. With a pang she was reminded of Sora. The boy who had gone berserk back in the Light Region. The boy who looked exactly like Vanitas.

It didn't take a genius to figure out they were connected. Two strangers couldn't just randomly look alike. It wasn't possible. And the fact that he went into the lab so often…

She pushed the idea away with a small laugh. There was no way that Vanitas was a lab specimen. It was impossible to create humans. Right?

Aqua looked at him again. He looked incredibly innocent. That was the thing about Vanitas. He really didn't have the face of a killer, but he had made it so the face had twisted into that of a monster. Aqua glanced at his bloody shirt, and bit her lip. She couldn't feel bad for him, because he was awful, but even then…

She tilted her head, and reached forward. She paused, her fingers hovering over the folds of his shirt. It wouldn't hurt to just look and make sure the wound was gone, right?

She swallowed, and brushed the torn cloth away. This revealed more pale skin to her. And…

Aqua gasped, and leaned back. She hadn't actually looked before when she had healed him. She had thought it had just been a simple knife wound. No. Naminé was craftier than that. She had carved what seemed to be a star into his chest. A star. Really.

It was a nice star too. Naminé had really put her artistic skills to the test. The lines were not scraggly, but perfectly curved, and the whole scar seemed to look more like an imprint than anything else.

Out of curiosity, she began to trace the lines, making sure she was correct. It had to be a star, right? Or maybe it was a strange flower?

Her index finger landed on one of the points. She blinked, and peered closer at the scar. There were… grooves? Grooves of some kind, indentations, maybe. Her finger seemed to slip perfectly into place. She tilted her head, and tried the next groove with her middle finger. There was a groove there too. Maybe from… fingernails? She couldn't tell, really. She placed her ring finger on the next groove, and her thoughts began to drift toward Naminé. What exactly had she done?

Her pinky landed on the next point. She bit her lip, curious to the strange shape and pattern the scar had taken. Honestly, she couldn't figure Naminé out. What did she have to gain from this? It made no sense. And… Vanitas cared about her, even. It was awful that she could do this to him.

Aqua gently placed her thumb against the last groove, and frowned.

Nothing happened.

She blinked, and slumped. Whatever Naminé had done, it seemed to be for nothing. Aqua moved to pulled her hand away.

And she was greeted with a gasp.

Aqua jumped, her fingers nearly sliding from the grooves. She looked down, and found herself staring into Vanitas's unusual golden eyes. Unlike the normal harshness she was used to, she found the gaze completely melted. He stared at her, his eyes wide, and his pupils meshed into his irises. He blinked slowly, his chest rising and falling heavily beneath the blue haired girl's fingers.

And then his chest became warm.

Incredibly warm, in fact. Almost hot. Aqua felt suddenly warm herself, like someone had wrapped a blanket around her. She swallowed uneasily, pulling back from the black haired boy.

"Vanitas?" She asked, peering at his awe struck face.

He did not answer. He simply stared at her.

She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end as the gaze fully reached her. She blinked quickly, and turned away. His gaze was too much. It was just too… warm.

"Okay, well, I should be going." Aqua said quietly, her fingers sliding from the grooves. "Goodnight, Vanitas."

She winced as her wrist was caught by the pale boy's hand. She was forced to stop in her tracks, her fingers still against the strange scar. A million things ran through her head. He would probably yell at her, or sexually harass her, or something on that level of Vanitas.

"Don't go."

Her head snapped to the side, and her eyes landed on the boy's face. He looked sincere. And it scared the living crap out of her.

She swallowed, and looked around quickly. He was probably tricking her. She could easily just punch him, or something of the sort, and leave, but honestly she felt like that would be a little heartless of her. What if he really meant it?

"Please." He said, his hand sliding down on top of hers. He sat up slowly, and Aqua bit her lip, and closed her eyes. What was he doing?

She felt herself being tugged back, and she slowly resigned to sitting on the bed. She shook her head, and looked up, her fingers still against his scar. "Vanitas, I can't." She looked away.

And then he leaned forward, his lips gently pressing against hers. She froze. She had expected this, at least, but not… so…

Nicely.

Vanitas had always kissed her forcefully. Like he was trying to steal something that wasn't rightfully his. But this was…

It was like he was asking rather than taking.

She didn't pull away. She simply gazed at him.

Then, very slowly, she leaned closer to him. Her fingers slipped from his scar.

If she expected him to go berserk, then she was pleasantly surprised.

He just… kissed her. Nicely.

Just for once.

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_Yes. VanAqua. Because I'm a sucker for it. _

_Headache. Owowowowow._

_I had shit in my head when writing this chapter, I swear. I was like, "OKAY SO THIS IS HOW MY AUTHOR'S RANT IS GONNA GO!" and I forgot all of it._

_Ugggh._

_Sooo. I am fourteen now. Eh. Thus far it has been sucky. But I got a PS3! His name is Lelouch, and currently I am trying to hook him up with Sephiroth, my PSP. But they ain't making any magic. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?_

_... XD No, dead seriousness, how do you connect a PSP to a PS3. I did everything it said but the PSP connection keeps failing._

_Today I got my 400th review. That's insane._

_And absolutely freaking BEAUTIFUL (am I the only one who spells beautiful by thinking B-E-A-UTIFUL?)._

_THANK YOU, GUYS! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_

_Jaunea. THERE IS A DANGER IN GOING TO A CONCERT ALONE. IT JUST DOESN'T OCCUR TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE COMMON SENSE OF A FIVE YEAR OLD. _

_Next Chapter: Alone. Forgive the blahness, I have a headache._


	46. Alone

**White Knight: Forty Six :Alone**

It took a little while for her to pull away.

She couldn't lie. She didn't want to.

Was it really that wrong? Because she couldn't help but thinking it felt nice. It _was_ nice. It felt…

Human.

She was afraid to move, with the thought that he might revert to a jackass if she deepened the kiss further, or wrapped her arms around his neck. The impulse to was killing her, but she stayed still. And simply kissing him… it was nice on its own.

Very slowly she leaned back. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found him staring curiously at her. Honestly it was like he was a completely new person. She found not a single trace of malevolence in the boy's face. Just subtle curiosity.

"Vanitas," Aqua whispered, leaning back further. He tilted his head at her, but said nothing.

She swallowed, and gently pushed him back. He laid down without a fuss, gazing up at her with wide eyes. "You want me to go to sleep?" Vanitas asked, blinking slowly. Aqua nodded, her voice failing her. She was getting shaken up. She had _liked_ kissing Vanitas. There was something terribly wrong with that.

Vanitas blinked at her again. "Okay." He said, pulling the blanket over himself. Aqua watched him, her brain a little foggy with confusion.

"Wait," she said, halting the blanket. Vanitas looked at her blankly. "Take your shirt off."

She said these words without thinking of the consequences behind them. After they left her mouth, she inwardly cringed, knowing that he could easily twist them. They were asking to be twisted, really.

But Vanitas said nothing. He just cocked his head to the side, and sat up, obediently shrugging the torn and bloody shirt from his shoulders, and handing it to her. He then gave her the tiniest of smiles, that made her head even foggier.

"Don't leave, okay?" Vanitas asked, his eyes widening to those of the like of a child. "Don't leave me alone."

Aqua gritted her teeth. What was this? A joke? Was it just a game to toy with her feelings? _What_? She couldn't fathom that this was Vanitas. It wasn't possible that he could actually act like this.

Her grip tightened on the torn shirt, and she looked away from the raven haired boy. "I won't leave." She muttered. "Just go to sleep."

Vanitas relaxed a little, his face still holding that tiny smile. He nodded, and laid back down, turning on his side.

Aqua stared at him for a few minutes, her head spinning with confusion. What had happened? What had she done to make Vanitas act so…

Innocent?

No. Vanitas could not be innocent. It just didn't add up. Vanitas and innocent shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

But…

Aqua scowled, and stood up. She needed to think. Snap herself out of her daze. And… even if she said she'd stay, she couldn't. She'd spent the last two nights in this room, and a third would… make Aerith incredibly suspicious. Aqua could already hear the teasing.

No. She couldn't stay.

And… since when did she care if Vanitas got mad at her anyway? She… _hated_ him. She was almost willing to let him die earlier… Now that she thought back on it, she realized it wouldn't have made a difference if she stayed or not. Vanitas would've stayed in the same state no matter what.

She stood for a few more minutes, before slowly making her way to the door.

Her hand was on the doorknob when he spoke again.

"You're leaving?"

She stiffened. He didn't sound sad. Just… curious. She swallowed, and turned her head to look at him. His back was still turned to her.

"I wondered about that. I wasn't sure what you'd do. I guess I was just hoping…"

Aqua blinked slowly, her grip loosening on the doorknob. "Vanitas… I…"

"Don't worry!" His voice rang clearly in her head as he turned to face her. "I'm used to being alone. You… have the right to leave me."

Her hand fell from the doorknob. He was… _used _to being alone.

She slumped, and walked back to the bed. Vanitas's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"You're staying?" He asked as she sat down next to him. She nodded.

He stared at her for a few moments, before sighing. "Do you pity me?"

Aqua looked at him, her eyes widening a little. Slowly, she nodded.

His eyes stayed glued to her face, making her feel very warm. He smiled a little. "I wish you didn't." He murmured, closing his eyes. "It would be nice… if you stayed with me… because you wanted to. Just for once…"

Aqua stiffened once again. He was obviously asleep now. His breathing became heavier, and the smile slid into a rather sad frown. Her throat began to constrict painfully. She slapped her hand over her mouth as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Why am I crying?" She whispered, her eyes widening as she began to sob. She shook her head, her thoughts clumped together. "I shouldn't be crying for him… he's… just…" She slumped, quickly swiping her sleeve over her eyes. But she couldn't stop crying. She just… couldn't.

* * *

She was curled up in a chair when he woke again. Her tears were long dried, but her eyes were still swollen. She wasn't looking at him. It was hard to tell if she was awake.

Vanitas awoke without any problem. Aside from the fact that he noticed the bedroom intruder immediately after opening his eyes, he felt fine. Not a shaken bone in his body.

The boy tilted his head and sat up. The blanket slid off his chest as he slowly swung his legs over the side of his bed, watching the blue haired girl intently. He stood, and crept across the room until reaching her side. He blinked in confusion.

"Oi," he said, nudging her head. "Hey, mouse. Mousey. Mouse, you awake?"

Her head lolled a bit in response.

The raven haired boy smirked. Asleep in his room? Was she a complete idiot?

As roughly as possible, Vanitas grabbed the girl by the arm and yanked her to her feet. She snapped awake, and yelped.

She looked around blearily, obviously disoriented. Her eyes fell on the raven haired boy, and she blinked profusely.

"V-Vanitas?" She muttered, raising one of her arms to rub her eyes.

Vanitas tossed her onto his bed, not surprised when she laid there, looking rather blankly up at him.

He sat down beside her, pulling his legs up into an Indian-style, while her own legs dangled off the end of the bed.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" Vanitas chided, his voice singing in mock sweetness.

Aqua blinked slowly, and groaned. She was extremely tired, and she couldn't remember why exactly she was in Vanitas's room.

She began to sit up, but she was stopped immediately by a bare arm reach over, landing just beside her shoulder. He loomed over her, his other hand landing near her head.

"Are you going somewhere, mouse?" He asked, leaning closer to her face. His nose brushed against hers.

She blinked tiredly, and squinted at him. "You're awake?" She asked in a groggy voice.

"No, I'm asleep." Vanitas snorted, catching a piece of spiky blue hair between his thumb and index finger.

She stared at him, still looking confused, and stricken with fatigue. Then, her eyes flew wide as if she had just remembered something.

Vanitas peered closely at her. "Oh?" He murmured, getting closer and closer to her face. Aqua was forced to lean backward more and more, until finally she collapsed on her back.

"You're _blushing_?"

Aqua's eyes widened even more, and she look away. His laugh was echoing in the silence of the morning. He threw a leg over her, so he could pin her down better.

"Damn," he said, a smirk rising to his pale face. "You are."

Aqua took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. "I'm not in the mood to deal with your crap, Vanitas." She said glaring up at him.

He shrugged. "I'm just curious to know why you're in my room," he said, his twirling her hair. "Is that so wrong?"

She looked at him sharply. "You don't remember _anything_, do you?"

Vanitas tilted his head. "What happened?" He asked, leaning forward to brush his lips against her ear. "Did we do something naughty?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she pushed him away from her. Her strength only managed to get him a few inches away from her face, though. Of course, it was better then having him breathing down her neck.

"You got hurt," she said with a scowl. "And you were sick. Pretty delusional too."

Vanitas's face fell. "Really?" He asked, his own scowl appearing. "And Nurse Aqua came to _save_ me. I'm flattered."

"You said things," Aqua said, swallowing as Vanitas stopped twirling her hair. "Things you'd never say if you weren't so…"

"What did I say?" Vanitas asked, his face stony.

She blinked at him, and bit her lip.

"Aqua!" He growled, his fingers digging into her shoulder. She winced, and shook her head.

"You… you just said some stuff…" She closed her eyes. "You said you cared about Naminé. And a couple other things."

He stared at her blankly. "I said I _cared_ about Naminé?" He scoffed.

Aqua nodded, her gaze trailing to his chest. She swallowed, and lifted her arm, letting her finger rest against the star shaped scar.

Suddenly Vanitas cringed.

"_Restrain him! Restrain him now!"_

"_Sora!"_

"_Shut up the witch! SOMEONE SHUT HER UP!"_

"_No! Sora! Wait, stop! Don't do this to him!"_

"_Na…mi…"_

"_Sora!"_

"_Sedate her. Gag her. Just shut her up, goddamn it! NOW!"_

"_No, stop! Please! Leave him alone, don't do that! That will—"_

_Gurgling._

"_N-Nami…?"_

"_Oh, damn, what did you give her?"_

"_Let me go… Nami…!"_

"…Né." Aqua and Vanitas whispered this in unison. Vanitas was clutching his head, face contorted in pain. Aqua laid beneath him, looking shocked.

"Was that a memory?" She whispered.

Vanitas groaned, and rolled off her. "I remember now." He muttered, his lips rather close to her ear. "Naminé did something to me."

"And you still care about her?" Aqua asked, her eyebrows raising.

Vanitas snorted, and smirked at her. "Jealous, mousey?"

Aqua scowled immediately. "You are a sick boy, Vanitas."

Vanitas said nothing. He only smirked wider, and scooted closer. Before he could open his mouth, however, Aqua turned to him.

"Sora?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Vanitas's smirk fell to s scowl.

She watched him, and frowned. "Tell me about it." She demanded in a soft tone.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, look, it's morning. Your friends are probably going to look for you." He said.

Aqua sat up, and placed her hands on her knees. "You can tell me you know," she said, leaning toward him.

"So what?" He asked, glaring at her. "Whatever you saw or heard, forget it. It's none of your business."

"You look a lot like Sora." Aqua said, watching as his face twisted in anger. "Are you two twins?"

"No." Vanitas said, sitting up. "Leave."

"I refuse to leave until you give me some answers."

"Then you'll just have wait here, won't you?"

She stared at him, and frowned deeply. "Tell me what happened to Kairi." She said, folding her arms across her chest.

Vanitas froze. He looked at her. "No."

"You said you would!"

"I lied!" He snapped. "People lie, Aqua! Deal with it."

"No." She said, grabbing his arm. "You're going to tell me what happened to my sister, Vanitas."

"What would you do to get this information?" The raven haired boy asked, looking down at her hand. "Would you sell your soul? Your body? Face it, it's not worth anything really important, is it?"

Aqua gave him a long stare. "No." She said quietly. "It's not."

"Then shut up."

She smiled a little. "I _will _find out, Vanitas. You're going to tell me."

"I'm sure." He said, his golden eyes narrowing.

She sighed, and stood up. He watched as she made her way to the door, and waved. He smirked and waved back at her.

"Remember Riku's party is coming up."

She scowled immediately, and turned to the door, leaving the boy alone.

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_Dudes, dudes, DUDES. If you guys like this story you should all go look at the fanart that Metrifyx made me for my birthday. It's like... GAWK WORTHY. Now that I think about it, I got a hell of a lot of good presents this year. In real life and online. So thank all of you masochists who made me something! You know you you are. Especially you, who took that insane challenge and turned it into something in your style. Can't wait to see what you do with In Your Honor. *Cackle* I'm planning on putting Alice in, at some point. I watched her death. It's so sad! But it's so cute! For her and Decus AND Marta and Emil! Oh, and I loved when Alice was whipping the shit out of Emil's face. I can just see that scene perfectly in my head in CGI. *Floats on a heavenly cloud of gore*_

_I'll put links on my profile tomorrow to all my birthday presents. (Dude, does Jaunea know I'm fourteen yet? O.o)_

_On another note, I'm sorry AquaStorm, and anyone else who doesn't like VanAqua. Just... stick it out, please. It'll be worth it, I hope. _

_My timeline is effing messed up. I think the next chapter takes place during the beginning of this chapter. WTFWTFWTFWTFWTF-_

_Yeah, I sleep. REMEMBER TO CHECK MY PROFILE REPEATEDLY UNTIL I PUT UP THE LINKS TO MY BIRTHDAY PRESENTS! Then comment, review, favorite, and alert, and shit. Yeeeah. Fun stuff._

_I'm going to go angst over the fact that my dad is taking me to school tomorrow! If only I woke up early enough to make myself coffee..._

_Next Chapter: Double Trouble_


	47. Double Trouble

**White Knight: Forty Seven :Double Trouble**

_The crispness of the air was stunning, what with the dead leaves crumbling beneath their feet, and the smell of apples so pungent they could nearly taste the juice._

_The two small boys sat, looking rather downcast._

_The older one looked to his brother, face set in determination._

"_That's the last time you're getting hurt on my watch, Ven," he whispered._

_Ven watched his brother, and tilted his head. "Thanks." He smiled, cradling his side. "But you don't have to worry about me."_

_The older twin glared at him. "Yes. I do."_

_Then the world began to shake, and blur._

Roxas's eyes snapped open, his stomach tying in a knot. What…?

His own face peered at him blankly, cutting through the fatigue that rested in his mind.

"Huh?" He jumped up, blinking a few times.

Ven let go of his shoulder, and Roxas found the events clicking. He had been sleeping. Dreaming about the past. Now he was awake, in the Dark Region. With Ven and a strange girl who wanted him to be a knight.

The dream seemed much more plausible than this shit.

"Ven," Roxas murmured, rubbing his eyes. The room was dark. No light shone through the windows, though Roxas could see the snow building against the window. A lamp was on in the corner, casting shadows in all directions. The walls looked more yellow than white.

Ven stepped back, and watched his brother with a small frown. Roxas blinked slowly, not understanding the gaze.

"Ven?" Roxas asked, rising to his feet.

His twin stepped back again, his eyes still glued to Roxas's face. Roxas's eyes widened slightly.

"Are you okay?" The slightly older boy asked slowly.

Ven swallowed, and looked away. "Sorry," he muttered with a tiny laugh. "It's just… a lot to take in, I guess."

Roxas slumped, and smiled a little. "I thought you were taking it a little too well."

Ven laughed sheepishly, and shrugged. "I wouldn't freak out. Especially not in front of Naminé."

At the mention of her, Roxas looked around the room. "Hey, where is…" The boy trailed off, his eyes landing on the girl's curled up body. She was sleeping.

"I was waiting for her to fall asleep so I could talk to you." Ven said, plopping on the floor. Roxas watched him for a few moments, before following the suit.

"Yeah…" he muttered. "I have a few questions of my own."

"Well ask away." The younger boy smiled. "I'm sure Naminé told you a little bit of my situation."

"You lost your memory." Roxas replied, "I heard."

Ven sighed, and looked down. "I'm sorry…" he murmured, pulling his knees to his chest. "I… don't remember much about you at all. Just little snippets."

"It's fine," Roxas said slowly. "I just… want to know what happened."

Ven's eyebrows rose, and he rested his chin on his knees. "I don't know all of it," he said with a frown. "Just that I got beaten up. And frozen. And left to die in a Dark Region forest."

Roxas stiffened. No way. All of that happened to his brother? His twin? His best friend?

He closed his eyes, and shook his head. "Ven…" he said, sliding his hand over his eyes.

Ven's eyes widened, and he jumped to his brother's side. "Hey!" He shouted, his face splitting into a huge grin. "Don't worry about it!"

Roxas looked up. "Don't… worry about it?" He whispered.

"Yeah!" Ven grinned, scratching his head. "I don't really care. I mean, if that stuff hadn't happened, I would've never met my friends."

"You… care about your friends a lot."

The younger twin smiled brightly. "I love them!" He cried. "I couldn't live without them."

Roxas stared, and smiled as well. "I'm… I'm really glad. At least… your life here isn't horrible."

Ven shook his head, his smile slighting into calmness. "No, it's not." Then he frowned. "Though I could live without the constant Gatherings, Master Xehanort, and all the secrets here. Everyone seems to have a past they didn't know about, or they don't want to talk about, or that are just to weird and freaky to think about."

Roxas looked down. "You fit into that, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah," Ven laughed. "I'm just another dysfunctional part of the Dark Region family."

"So… you consider the Dark Region your home?"

Ven's face fell, and he looked to his brother with wide eyes. "Roxas…" he said slowly, "I… don't know. I know you're my brother, and that we were really happy in the Light Region, but…"

"This is your home." His twin finished. "I get it."

Ven averted his eyes, looking obviously saddened. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

Roxas swallowed, and looked down. He didn't know what to say. But it didn't matter right now, right? He was stuck in the Dark Region anyway. Ven was… his twin. That was it. Brothers are brothers, no matter where they live.

"It's okay," he said slowly. "It's fine. Don't worry. It's not your fault."

Ven took a deep breath, his eyes flickering to the small blonde girl slumbering a few feet away. Roxas followed his gaze.

"About… about her…"

"You don't trust her, right?" Ven asked, looking to his brother. Roxas frowned, and Ven smiled. "Sorry. She's… just like that. She can't help it sometimes."

Roxas eyed him skeptically. "She can't help it?" The boy asked, snorting.

"Naminé's insane, Roxas." Ven said, frowning deeply at his brother.

Roxas blinked, looking torn between laughing and gawking. "Wait, are you serious?" He asked, his eyes widening.

"Dead." Ven replied, his eyes softening as he looked back to the bed.

The room fell to silence.

"How…?" Roxas whispered.

Ven shrugged. "She might've been born like this. But I doubt it."

"You think something drove her insane?" Roxas gaped.

"I think some_one_ drove her insane." Ven said darkly.

Roxas watched him, shifting in an almost wary manner. "Xehanort…" he murmured.

"He owns her." Ven said, his voice softening as his eyes hardened. "He owns all of us. That's the Dark Region. We can't even dream of defying him, because he holds the people we care about on strings above our heads."

Roxas flinched. "He gets kicks out of playing with people's heads, huh?" he muttered.

"He's a sick old man." Ven shrugged. "We deal with it. As long as we're all still alive, I don't care."

"You like being a servant?" Roxas asked sharply.

"I don't mind it," Ven said, peering at the his brother with a look of seriousness that sat ghostly on his face. "I like Naminé. I don't care if I have to serve her."

"It's not right that you have to be her _slave_." Roxas muttered.

"I'm not her slave!" Ven laughed, shaking his head. "I told you, I like serving Naminé. I'm the only one who can keep her from hurting herself. As you saw earlier." Ven nodded to the knife that sat beside the large window.

"She… does that a lot?" Roxas asked, his eyes widening.

"Sometimes." Ven shrugged again. "Usually she's not… conscious of it? Like… she just throws a fit all of a sudden, and beats herself up. Trying to pull her hair out, screaming, crying, thrashing. Like she's possessed or something."

"That's like Kairi," Roxas said slowly, and his eyes widened. "Holy… holy shit!"

Ven sat up straighter to look at his brother. "What?" He asked. "What is it?"

"Kairi." Roxas whispered, jumping to his feet. "Kairi and Naminé. Kairi got kidnapped. Naminé… but… that doesn't…"

"What?" Ven scrambled to his feet. "What do you mean, Roxas?"

Roxas's eyes darted from Naminé to Ven, a look of bewilderment crossing his face at lightning speed. "Naminé and Kairi. They… does Naminé have night terrors, Ven?"

"Night terrors?" Ven murmured.

"Yeah. Like, nightmares. Really bad ones. But she doesn't remember them when she wakes up. She'll sleepwalk and scream, and stuff, and then wake up and act like nothing happened. Has that ever happened?"

Ven rose an eyebrow, and snorted. "Oh, yeah," he said. "Just not when she's asleep."

Roxas gave him a long look. "Can't that… be fixed, or something?"

"Insanity is hard to fix." Ven said, walking slowly to the blonde girl's side.

"But she seemed completely fine when I first met her." Roxas said, watching as his brother sat down at the edge of the bed. "I mean, besides the fact that she was crying her guts out."

Ven froze, and looked down at the tiny blonde. "My fault…" he murmured. "She hurt someone. I was really mad at her. I mean…"

"Is it her fault?"

"Naminé has control over her actions," he said, with a dry laugh. "At least recently."

"So…"

"Forget about Naminé." Ven chirped. "Just… yeah, just forget about her right now. What happened to, um, Kairi?"

Roxas glanced at his brother, and rose an eyebrow. "She got kidnapped by Xehanort a few years ago. She's had night terrors since then."

Ven blinked a few times, vaguely remembering comforting a young red headed girl. "Right." He nodded. "That makes sense. I guess…"

"Sora also got kidnapped." Roxas continued. "He didn't end up any better."

"Sora…" Ven murmured. He had… a sense of familiarity, but that was it. "He has nightmares too?"

"No," Roxas said, glancing up at the ceiling. "He gets homicidal sometimes. Split personality issues, I guess."

Ven fell silent. "They both got kidnapped?" He murmured, looking to Naminé.

"Yeah."

"So… do you think Xehanort did something to them, and to Naminé?"

"I think it makes sense," Roxas said with a small frown. "I mean, besides the fact that Naminé was born here…"

"She wasn't." Ven whispered.

Roxas shot him a look. "What?"

"Naminé… I don't think she was born here."

The atmosphere in the room began to shift. The twins watched each other, looking equally shocked. They mirrored each other's expressions perfectly. It was almost eerie in the dull light from the lamp in the corner.

"Where was she born?" Roxas asked, looking at the tiny blonde girl with wide eyes.

Ven was silent. He closed his eyes, his jaw set into something like a clench. He didn't speak though. He just sat, frozen.

"Ven."

"I don't know…" he whispered.

Roxas watched him, his blue eyes squinting confusedly. "How… could you not…"

"Her past is a complete mystery to me." Ven admitted, with a tiny smile. "I never really thought about it. I never cared. I just liked that she talked to me, and trusted me enough to take care of her. That's all I needed."

"And now?" Roxas asked, folding his arms across his chest. "Did something change?"

"I'm not prying into her business." Ven said, shaking his head. "Don't ask me to. She might throw a fit if she thinks about her past. And truthfully, I'm not sure she remembers it all that much herself."

"Well where is she from then?" Roxas muttered, more to himself than to Ven. "Is she from the Dark Region? Is she from the Light Region? Is she a straggler?"

"That's the mystery, isn't it?" Ven asked, smiling brightly.

"And… she wants us to be her knights…?"

Ven shrugged. His rose his hand, and his fingers brushed against the dried blood on his forehead. "She's odd, but…"

"You trust her." Roxas nodded. "I understand."

"Then you'll help me?" Ven asked, looking to his brother with big, sparkling eyes. "Oh, please? I don't want to have to hurt Naminé. She's the most amazing person I've ever met."

Roxas's eyebrows rose, and he chuckled a bit. "Sounds like you've got an awfully big crush on her, Brother."

Ven's eyes widened, and his face turned bright red. "Hey!" He pouted. "That's not fair."

Roxas rolled his eyes, and laughed. "Yeah, sure!" He chortled. "Keep telling yourself that."

"You're mean!"

"How is it that you're the one that got saddled in the _Dark_ Region? You've got the maturity of a toddler." Roxas shook his head, smiling to himself. Just as he had remembered. Ven hadn't changed all that much.

"Guess I'm just lucky!" Ven hooted, throwing his hands into the air and flopping onto his back. "Right, Miss Naminé?"

Roxas jumped as the blonde girl sat up looking a little blank, and bleary. One of her dress straps slipped down her shoulder, giving her more of a disheveled appearance.

"Mmm," she hummed. "I'm sorry to say this, Ventus, but it seems to me that you've got the most awful luck. It's quite pitiful, actually…"

Ven made a noise, a cross between a moan and a whine. "Oh, _thanks_. I guess you don't enjoy my company, since my obvious _bad_ luck is the reason I'm here."

The blonde tilted her head, her placid hair curling around her face as she bent forward to peer at his face. "Of course," she murmured, tilting her head back to get a look at Roxas. "Oh, hello."

Roxas gave her a tiny, unsure wave. She smiled gently in response.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you. I shouldn't have pegged that onto you. If anyone should kill me, it should be Ventus."

"Nuh uh. Not happening."

"But, anyway, my death isn't the issue right now." She looked between Roxas and Ven with a blank, almost calculating gaze.

"The issue is how to break Roxas to the Dark Region. He can't stay in my room forever." Her blank face turned suddenly very giddy, and she giggled, interlocking her hands in her lap as she shrugged. "No matter how much I'd like that!"

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_My birthday presents are on my profile. CHECK THEM OUT PLEASE! Those insane people deserve some feedback from you insane people. ^.^_

_Sooo, I started and finished the next chapter today. I feel like I'm filling up as many plotholes as possible while I still can. I don't know whether or not I want to call the next chapter a filler though. THIS chapter is a filler. It's not really needed but it help clears things up._

_Okay, we're all wondering. Where the hell is Terra? GOD DAMMIT. Next chapter. Tsk tsk. I just wish I can put him in more often. It's hard with the Vanitas plot though. And... yeah, sorry. He isn't getting much screen time._

_Riku's Party is arriving! Whooo. I'm sure you're all very excited. We're getting closer and closer to the end though._

_Luckily that will take a few chapters to write. Don't get your panties in a twist just yet. I take forever when it comes to getting to the point. That's why this story is so effing long._

_Next Chapter: "Reality Bites."_

_"Yes, Phineas," Ferb said to his rather weary looking brother. "Yes it does."_

_(going off a theory I saw on TVTropes that says Phineas's 'Summer Vacation' was all a dream he had while in a coma)_

_(if I ever wrote a Phineas and Ferb story, THIS WOULD BE WHAT IT WOULD BE ABOUT)_


	48. Reality Bites

**White Knight: Forty Eight :Reality Bites**

The Dark Region was preparing.

Riku's birthday was the only formal event anyone ever really looked forward to- the only real formal event at all, to be honest. Everyone in the Dark Region was invited, because Xehanort knew that no one would try anything. Not after Riku's seventh birthday. A group of zealots tried to kidnap the boy, but ended up getting quite an icy glare from the old Master himself. Yes, it took a few days to thaw them out and put them in prison. But Riku found it funny, and he had been completely unfazed by the experience. In fact, his face had retained a quite bored expression when one man had pressed the barrel of a gun to his temple. Riku still had nerves of steel, but he showed much more emotion than he did back when he was a child.

Now he was turning eighteen. This was a glorious occasion indeed.

Aqua sighed as Aerith zipped her dress up. She didn't want to do this at all. Her stomach was cramping just at the thought of…

Well, she couldn't do much about it now.

She turned to her roommate, who smiled brightly at her. "Oh!" Aerith gasped, "You just look so pretty!"

Aqua blushed a bit, and shook her head. "Don't start, Aerith," she said with a tiny laugh. "You look stunning compared to me. Really, I'm actually a little jealous."

Aerith blinked at her, her emerald green eyes shining boldly beneath her strangely parted fringe. Her light brown hair flowed freely down her back, brushing against her waist in soft waves. The curls that usually resided on her shoulders were pulled backwards, tied at the back of her head in a small, elegant knot. Beautiful sunshine colored flowers were woven into her hair, making her natural beauty shine brighter.

"I don't think so, Aqua," the maid giggled. "But thank you."

Aqua wasn't surprised when she spun around, her light blue dress fluttering at her calves. Her hair swung with her, and Aqua tugged self-consciously at her cropped blue hair. How ugly she seemed to this girl who seemed to embody the earth itself. If Terra represented the rocks, and the stone, and the ground, then Aerith represented the trees, and the flowers, and the grass. Without her, the world would be barren. Maybe even scary.

Not that Terra was scary, of course. Just because he represented to rocks, and the soil (the real earth, she should say), didn't mean he was scary. He also represented the pure warmth of the land. So hard, but so warm. That was Terra.

Then she wondered why she grouped 'soil and rocks' with 'scary'. Rocks were scary when they are thrown at people, but soil is just dirt.

She was confusing herself.

"Aqua?" Aerith asked, peered at her worriedly.

The blue haired maiden jumped. "Huh?" she asked, blinking quickly.

"I asked you where you were yesterday," Aerith said, walking toward her. "And the day before that and the day before that…"

Aqua flushed a deep red color, seeing the wide smirk on the young woman's face. She was implying…! "Hey, you don't tell me where you go to so late at night, so why the hell should I tell you?" She snapped, spinning on her heel toward her bed, and scowling.

Aerith was silent. Aqua blinked, and looked back at her slowly. She was still standing where she had been earlier, but her face was now wearing a stunned expression.

"You just cursed at me?" Aerith asked, looking a little hurt. Real hurt, Aqua told herself, slumping. Not mock hurt.

"I…" Aqua started, and then she stopped, freezing. That's right. She never cursed. She hated it. She had forgotten…

"Aerith, I'm so sorry." Aqua whispered, shaking her head as she turned around to face her. "I… I'm not acting like myself. It's just… lately…"

"With your new rank, I'm not all that surprised," Aerith said softly. Aqua looked at her, her face transforming into a look of sorrow.

"I just… Vanitas… he's just so…" Aqua looked up at the ceiling, feeling suddenly very much invaded. Vanitas had changed her somehow. She was much less patient than she used to be, and harsher. Colder. She was calm when she should be frustrated. Like a war hardened soldier. A war hardened soldier she was not!

"Va-ni-tas?" Aerith asked, pronouncing each syllable with sharpness. "That awful little boy who always wears a mask?"

"He's… not little, Aerith…" Aqua murmured distantly, remembering the time when Vanitas had actually worn his mask. Now he just wore normal clothes. Why had he changed, she wondered. Or maybe she had changed him? Much like he was slowly changing her.

Aerith blinked slowly, and laughed a little. "Oh," she laughed. "How old is he? Fourteen?"

"Fifteen."

Aerith glanced at her. "Aqua?" She asked. "Vanitas…"

"Forget about it," Aqua said, sighing.

Aerith looked away, and brushed her bangs from her eyes. "Well he's always been a bit strange," she said, brightening.

"Really?" Aqua murmured. She glanced at the older girl. "Did you know him when he was younger?"

"Of course not," Aerith giggled. "No, it's just the way he appeared. I mean, he showed up completely out of nowhere. Kind of like Miss Naminé."

Aqua straightened and shot Aerith a look. "What did you just say?" she asked, her eyes widening.

Aerith stopped, and frowned. "Hmm?" she asked, looking at the blue haired girl curiously. "About Miss Naminé?"

"Yeah," Aqua murmured. "Vanitas… he just showed up… and Naminé…" Aqua froze. The room began to spin as all her thoughts conjoined into one swirling jumble. Then it all became clear.

_That boy on the table…_

_Taking Naminé for a check up…_

_The insanity._

_The split personalities._

_The connections…_

_The Lab._

Aqua spun on her heel and walked to the door, leaving Aerith in the dust.

* * *

She tied the bottom of her dress up to her knees. She wasn't wearing any shoes, and she only realized this when she reached the basement steps. Her bare feet felt numb against the chilled stone. She couldn't really process what she was going to try to do… but she believed she could really do it.

The winding stone stairwell stopped very suddenly, and changed into a weird modern-style white glass. She was afraid to step on the stairs, feeling as if she'd fall through. She didn't of course; she was in the blindingly white hallway before she could get too far down the glass staircase.

She walked very slowly down the corridor, feeling the eerie sense of déjà vu. She swallowed as she spotted a streak of red on one wall. Her blood, she reminded herself, flashing back to a few days previous. She shook her head, and continued down the long white hallway. Her feet slid against the smooth, glowing floor, guiding her to the steel door that stood rather menacingly at the end of the unnatural passage.

She stood in front of it, feeling foolish in her sapphire dress. She gritted her teeth, and felt her Keyblade materialize in her right hand. She stepped back, glaring at the door, and she pointed her blade directly at the center of it. It glowed brilliantly, making the hall around her seem to be a dull gray. The door slid open, and Aqua stepped inside

She expected someone to be in the room, and she was correct to assume so. A man with long blond hair had his back to the door, but was in the middle of turning toward her. Aqua took a deep breath as she rose her left hand. Just as the man's face was revealed to her, her fingers slashed against the air, causing all of it to be sucked from the room. She had never tried this before. She hoped it would work.

She watched as her fingers dragged across nothing. And then, they were dragging against _something_. She couldn't breathe, because the air was being sucked into the long white gashes that were forming beneath her fingertips. But she could feel the power pulsing as her nails sunk deeper into the air, clawing a hole in the fabric of the world.

She tore her fingers from the whiteness, and slammed her palm against the slashes. It thumped, like the loudest heartbeat she had ever heard, and expanded. It exploded.

There was a burst of fresh air, wonderful, sweet tasting air, and Aqua felt suddenly very alive. She had never tried using _pearl_ before, but she knew now that she would have to try it again. It was amazing! The burst of pure energy flooding from the air.

But the light was gone in a flash.

Aqua blinked, tightening her grip on Rainfell. The man howled cursed, as shielded his eyes. Had she blinded him?

Quickly taking advantage of this moment, Aqua slipped behind the man, and rose her Keyblade. The hilt of Rainfell came down on the man's skull, and he was out before she could even think of what to do next.

She stared at the man, shocked that she had managed to knock him out without even trying all that hard. Quickly she expelled her Keyblade, and dropped to her knees. After checking the man's pulse, she sighed, relieved. She didn't want to kill anyone. Really.

She slowly placed her hand on the man's forehead. "_Forget_," she murmured. Nothing happened. No fantastical light show.

And that was the draw back to using _pearl_.

Aqua reasoned that the blow to the head would make him forget about it. She hoped.

She stood up, and looked around the pristine and awfully creepy laboratory. The operating table resided in the middle of the room, like an island. Aqua walked toward it, feeling nostalgia creep up her spine.

_Aqua's eyes trailed into the room, and her cheeks turned bright pink as she spotted the naked boy sitting on the steel slab of a table, staring nonchalantly at her._

Vanitas.

She turned away from the table, and swallowed, her eyes landing on the pointy, scary objects glinting malevolently at her from a tray near by. What the _hell_? She peered at them, noting scalpels and syringes, but not recognizing the large saw-like object, or the strange pronged screwdriver that sat beside it. She inhaled deeply, and shook her head, pushing the wheeled tray away from her. She didn't want to look at those things.

She circled the room, her feet getting more and more numb with every step. After finding nothing but torture tools and diagrams that made absolutely no sense to her, she pivoted, and entered the room connecting to the one she was in.

She froze in the doorway.

The room was filled with drawings. Doodles on the walls, diagrams like the ones in the previous room, mathematical equations, stick figures, pointy objects. It was like stepping into Naminé's mind crossed with a text book.

Aqua dug right in, searching through the papers, and the drawings, and grabbing anything she deemed useful.

And then she saw it. The thick manila folder she recognized coming right from the record room. She swallowed, and walked toward it. It was big. The biggest folder she'd ever seen. It was heavy too. She couldn't carry it with all the papers she already was holding. So she quickly opened the folder, and skimmed the first page.

Xion?

**Name: **_**Xion**_

**DOB:**_** Irrelevant**_

**Status: **_**Replica, conduit**_

Aqua froze. What? Xion… a replica? A replica of _what_?

Aqua turned the page, but it was just babble about the creation of a replica, listing the pod number, code data, and glitch factor. Apparently Xion's 'glitch' was her appearance, personality, and will. _Will?_

The next page was dedicated on the topic of a person's will.

_The will cannot be discerned, but still, we try our hardest. Our experiments all have shown to have strong enough wills, proving the theory correct that they are their own persons. We have clearly crushed the will of Experiment 9, while Experiment 11 has shown sign of complete disinterest in succumbing to its will. 14's will is not as strong as 9's (the strongest we have seen out of all experiments), or even 11's, but it seems to have independent thoughts, and feelings. We have inferred that it does not like to show it has a will, in fear of us. _

Aqua quickly flipped the page. Souls.

_A person's soul is the person's self. Not to be confused with the _heart_, a person's core._

Next page. Hearts.

_The core of a human being. The mysterious light and darkness that all seek, bringing life and feelings to the being. Note: Experiment 9 is the only experiment thus far confirmed to have a heart._

Next page.

Vanitas.

Aqua stared at his picture. It was awfully outdated. The boy in the picture had a youthful face, but he looked tired, sluggish, and lifeless. He didn't seem to be cocky, or prideful… just…

Very, very blank.

**Name: **_**Vanitas**_

**DOB: **_**Irrelevant**_

**Status:**_** Halfling**_

**Age: **_**Unknown (fifth year of existence, fifteenth of being)**_

Aqua read on to the next page.

_Halfling?_

_

* * *

_

The dark haired boy was fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. He wished he wasn't going this year. He never usually went. But Xehanort had different plans…

He sighed, and let the buttons go. He was so frustrated. He kept thinking about Naminé. Whatever she had done to him… it killed. Ached inside his chest, deep inside. Broken glass inside his heart, scitchy scratching all the way.

Floodie was nowhere to be found. He didn't like Aqua, so Vanitas assumed the creature simply hiding until Aqua stopped appearing. To be honest, Vanitas missed the monster. He had been his only friend… ever, really.

He picked up his tie, and stared at it blankly. Now what the _hell_ was he supposed to do with this thing?

He jumped as a knocking filled the room. He looked toward the door. She was _early_. Weren't girls supposed to take longer getting ready than boys?

Vanitas scowled, and walked to the door. He'd shoo her away until he figured out how to put the weird tie thing on.

He opened the door and leaned against it.

"And here I thought you were dreading going with me," the boy said smugly.

But she only stared at him. Her eyes were wide with amazement, and… maybe horror.

Vanitas blinked slowly, his gaze flickering to the clutter of papers in her hands. What…?

"What are those?" he asked warily.

Aqua's mouth opened in a sort of gape. Like she was struggling with words.

"Vanitas…" she whispered, her eyes widening. "You're… not real, are you?"

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_... Watching the British Academy Film Awards. And Fanfiction messed up my headers again. Waaah._

_Anyway, sorry to confuse you, last chapter I was ranting about how I have no clue when Terra is coming in again. Well, I do, but, I mean... gah. I don't know. This story is too long._

_I miss Terra. I found a new plot hole. Not telling you what it is, though. :P_

_So... this chapter... it's just here to explain things. The next one as well. I mean, I want you guys to understand and stop asking questions about why Vantias is like this, why Nami's like that, what the hell Xion has to do with anything. Not that you guys really ask. XD BUT I KNOW YOU'RE THINKING IT!_

_I actually wonder why Aqua asks him if he's real. It really just goes into what I want Vanitas to say to her at the party. I do think ahead, you know! Depending. Like, that crap with the reports, completely made up on the spot. And I'm quite proud of myself, especially with the one in the next chapter. It's a whole page long. I'm usually not good at stuff like that, but I think it closes some doors, and opens some new ones._

_The King's Speech is winning loads. I must go see this. Yes, yes. _

_Oh, yeah. Um, Aqua isn't going with Terra. :P Not her choice. Or Vanitas's. Sorry Terraqua fans. I'm an evil person._

_Next Chapter: Side Effects_

_Or, what I wanted to name it, Side Effects Include Death. But I figured you guys wouldn't enjoy my dark humor. _


	49. Side Effects

**White Knight: Forty Nine :Side Effects**

Vanitas's stomach twisted rather violently. "What?" he asked, staring blankly at her.

Aqua looked away. Her face was stricken with a number of different emotions. Vanitas had trouble figuring them out.

"What is it, mouse?" Vanitas asked, his eyes narrowing. "What did you just say?"

The blue 'mouse' just shook her head, clutching the papers tighter to her chest. Her eyes widened, giving her face a frightened look about it.

Vanitas's anger flared, and he grabbed her wrist, and yanked her into his room. She watched as the papers she had been holding spilled onto the floor, and she cringed as she was pushed into the wall.

She stared at the raven haired boy, her mouth opening. Nothing came out, however. She slumped, and hung her head. Vanitas gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her wrist.

"What the hell did you mean?" he asked icily, sliding the hand that was pinning her to the wall along her collarbone and up her neck.

She swallowed, shrinking deeper into the wall. Like she thought she could just disappear into the paneling, or something.

_I'm making an effect, _Vanitas observed. _That hasn't happened in a while. _

Vanitas frowned very, very deeply, and glanced down at the papers littering the floor. He did a double take.

_**Halflings (?)**_

His anger flared up again, surging through him like adrenaline. What was she doing with _that_?

Vanitas slammed her against the wall, her head smacking with a rather sickening crack. Her eyes widened, before they rolled up into their sockets. Stupid girl, stupid, stupid mouse.

His anger cooled just as suddenly as it had flared. The raven haired boy blinked, and let the girl's limp body fall against his chest. Fantastic. Adding to the buttons and tie, he needed to sort out a girl too.

He sighed, and kicked the door closed, fearful that someone, mostly Terra, would walk past. She was so… _stupid_ sometimes. She just didn't know how to mind her own business.

He wrapped his arms around her, and he began to drag her away from the door and the scattered papers. He dropped her on the floor, watching her fall into a crumpled heap.

"You're so stupid," Vanitas spat at her. "You dig into things that aren't any of your business. If you weren't so important right now, I'd have to kill you…"

There was no response, of course. She would be out for a small while.

The raven haired boy bent down, and scooped up some of the papers. He found a picture of himself when he had first been created, and his file.

_11 shows great signs of homicidal rage. This rage can manifest in 10. After examining 10's potential, we found that he is too uncontrollable when enraged, and too strong to manipulate when normal. His personality is rather upbeat, and unneeded for the process to work. Master Xehanort was adamant on killing him, but I suggested we throw him back to Eraqus like we had with Experiment 8. I am not one for slaughtering children, and I can only hope my research didn't affect them too much. 10 will only go into a rage when 11 goes into a similar rage. 11 can control this emotion inside of 10, quite possibly possessing the ability to control 10 completely. I find that 11 would be able to make 10 his puppet, as 14 can with 9, but to a much wider extent. The chances of the hold breaking would be slim, unless 10 gained an extreme amount of will power, or he found enough light inside his heart to weaken 11. Sadly, the amount of light needed is more than an average heart— even one stripped of darkness— can have. _

_11 can possibly crush 10's will, but I am having doubts about this theory. 11's will would have to be stronger than 10's, and I know well that 11's will is too weak to go up against that of 10's. It has come to my attention, however, that his heart has been expanding. The feelings he can't reach can and may rise to the surface if not looked after. It would not take much to make the feelings arise. It would be a slow process, but it is very possible. If my theory is correct, the barrier keeping the good feelings from the bad ones can be shattered by someone with a deep connection to 11. If I keep inferring, I know I will come to the conclusion that 9 is the conduit that can set 11 free from his negative bonds. However this will cause a great deal of disruption inside 11, making his personality begin to crack. I am not sure he would be able to kill anyone again, with the emotions that stir in his heart, so unused. I can only hope that these emotions don't over power him. Similar to 9's problem with her will and memories, 11's emotions may very well lead to his downfall. He was created using negative feelings, energy, and the darkness floating around 10's heart. Therefore he is a being of pure darkness. It is in his nature to be drawn to light, to either quash it or make it his own. But if the positive emotions begin to stir too wildly, his whole being will be lost. He will loose anything he is, or ever was. _

_It is unclear if 9 knows this or not, but I'm quite sure she will pick it up. The compression on her will and memories makes her very curious, and she has always been a clever little girl. I'm positive she will figure out 11's weakness sooner or later. This brings about many complications, seeing as there is no way to control the emotions. If too many appear at once, 11 will crack, and submit to them. In a way, 11's awful personality and lust for blood has been saving him. Once he is exposed to all of his emotions, 11 will, in a technical term, 'over heat'. All his emotions would burn up, his will would disappear, and his heart would be crushed. His soul would live on, however. But it would be torture, living in 10's heart. The heart filled with light will be like throwing him into hell and burning him for eternity._

_I wish I could keep a better eye on him, so he doesn't cease to exist, but the boy is…_

_The way things are looking, Experiment 11 will be terminated before spring._

_I take full responsibility for his torture. If I had never created him, this would have never of happened. 9 cannot be blamed for this, as she may be the only person who can save him. If she were the one to release his emotions, she would be able to control them as well. She would be able to keep the emotions from erupting, and ultimately… well, killing 11. This would take a small toll on her own sanity (that is returning as of late), and his all well. But 11 would still be alive. _

_Of course this news is no consolation, seeing the whole reason I created 9. Because, you see, if 9 dies, 11's emotions will go haywire._

_My creations are all falling apart. I dearly wish I could've done something to save them from this torment._

_Ansem_

The paper crumpled in Vanitas's fingers.

Everything about him… was beginning to make sense now.

The changes, the feelings, the bloodlust, the remorse, even his attraction to Aqua. It was explained.

And… even more… he was going to…

Well, he was going to die. With Naminé, by spring. He felt oddly empty about the whole idea. He had always figured he'd die young… but he had hoped it would be a better death than ceasing to exist and having his soul locking inside Sora's heart for all eternity. How annoying.

And… yes… he was…

He was scared of the idea of burning forever. He didn't want to die like this. He at least wanted it to be something someone would remember.

All these feelings were…

Killing him.

* * *

"What?"

Naminé leaned back against Ventus's chest as he fixed her hair. "You two are both coming with me to the party," she said, looking between the two boys.

"But… Naminé, Xehanort…" Roxas whispered, shaking his head.

"He won't do anything," Naminé murmured as Ven tucked a milky white flower into her hair. "I won't let him."

"You can't have that much power over him?" Roxas gaped as Naminé stood. "Can you?"

She shrugged, and walked to her wardrobe. "I have enough power for this," she said, looking over her shoulder at Roxas. "He won't harm you."

She reached into the wardrobe, and pulled out a small dress very similar to the one she was wearing, with subtle differences. She flung the hanger back at the two boys, making Ven yelp.

"Close your eyes, you two!" she shouted, as she began to pull the dress she was wearing upward. Her back was facing them, but it had enough effect to make Ven smack Roxas so he would turn his head away. Both boys were flushing deeply.

They listened to fabric rustle, and Roxas shook his head. "Does she just… strip like that?" he asked, his eyes wide.

Ven shook his head. "She's probably just doing it to see what our reactions would be." He said with a shrug.

"Will one of you help me with this?" The girl called.

Roxas's eyes widened even more, while Ven laughed a little. "Do you want to do it?" he asked, gesturing to the girl whose back was still turned to them.

"Uh, no." Roxas muttered, his cheeks blazing.

Ven grinned broadly, and stood up. "She doesn't bite, you know!"

Roxas looked away, trying to understand how exactly his brother's mind worked. Was he being a pervert, or did he just not realize that Naminé was trying to be seductive?

He figured it was the latter.

Ventus walked toward the tiny blonde, who tilted her head back at him. "Hello, Ventus." She beamed.

Ven smiled back at her, and began to button up the back of her dress. "I hope you know what you're doing, Miss Naminé," he murmured quietly, leaning close to her ear.

Naminé was silent. She looked away, and closed her eyes. This made Ven wonder whether she was acting insane, or if she really had no control of her actions. It was so hard to tell these days.

As the little white buttons began to align, Naminé made a tiny noise. Something like a moan. Ven blinked, and looked down at her. "Are you alright, Naminé?" he asked worriedly, as the tiny girl bowed her head.

She said nothing. She raised her hand, and clutched the right side of her head, shaking it slightly.

"Naminé?" Ven yelped, as Roxas stood up.

She looked up, her eyes wide. "I… I'm sorry," she murmured, her hand slipping from her head. "What is it?"

Ven stared at her, and took a deep breath. He gave her a very tiny smile, and he quickly finished buttoning up the dress. "Do you have a headache?" he asked slowly.

She blinked, and laughed slightly; it sounded a little fake in all honesty. "N-no, of course not," she said spinning away from him.

Roxas walked toward them, a deep frown appearing on his face. "Are you sure?" he asked, standing next to his brother.

Naminé folded her arms across her chest, and gave the twins a small smile. "No, I'm fine. It was just a little headache."

The two boys looked at her incredulously. "Okay, whatever you say," Roxas said with a sigh.

Naminé simply smiled and grabbed his hand. "You two need to get ready, right?" She giggled, pulling him toward the door. "You can wear Ven's clothes. He has lots of dress shirts, and suits. That's what he had to wear before I allowed him to wear what he wanted."

Roxas shot his brother a look, but he just grinned sheepishly. "Okay, sure. We'll go," he looked down at Naminé warily. "But don't be stupid, okay?"

Naminé laughed a bit, and looked up. "I won't hurt myself," she said gently. "I promised I'd be good."

Ven tilted his head, and grinned broadly. "We'll be right back then!" Ven shouted, throwing his arm over Roxas's shoulder.

"Okay!" Naminé giggled, her hands interlocking. "See you in a bit."

Roxas glanced at her, and sighed, turning away. Naminé watched as the twins exited the room, throwing her one last look. She said nothing, only waving as the door slid shut behind them.

Immediately after she dropped to the floor, clutching her head.

"Damn it…" she whispered, as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes.

"_Sora! Don't eat that!"_

"_What? Why?"_

"_Because it'll give you a tummy ache!"_

"_Oh…"_

"Oh no…" she murmured, falling onto her side. "That's… not…"

"_Roxas, can you give me a hand with this?"_

"_Huh?"_

"_I think we should make a fort. Can you help me move this?"_

"_Oh. Alright, Kairi."_

"These… these aren't mine…"

"_Knock her out."_

"_W-what are you gonna do?"_

She cringed, her brain pounding against her skull. "I can't… remember this…"

Naminé closed her eyes as she was pulled to her feet by her arms. She hadn't heard anyone come in. But… she could barely hear herself think…

"Ven?" she murmured, her heart beginning to pump as hard as her brain.

"Not quite, witchy."

She opened her eyes, finding she was eyelevel with a half covered chest. She blinked, and groaned as her head lolled, landing a bit painfully against the ribs of the boy in front of her.

"Vanitas…?" she whispered, her eyes widening. Her arms were beginning to hurt from the strain of being pulled so far above her head.

"You know, my timing is amazing. I should become a comedian."

"I'm sure… you'd do fantastic…" she muttered through gritted teeth. "You're just so… _funny_."

"Oh, I know," he chuckled, as her headache continued to plague her mind. Voices, and screams, and laughs mixed together to form a lethal combination.

He tugged on her arms, making her head swing back. "I'm trying to talk to you," he growled. "Quickly, before Aqua wakes up."

"Aqua…?" Naminé groaned. "You're… going with her…?"

"Not my choice," Vanitas said, tugging in her arms again.

"Ow," she rasped, "stop."

"This is your own fault," Vanitas whispered, his lips brushing against her ear. "If you hadn't meddled in my emotions, we'd both be fine."

"Is that what this is…?" she murmured, her eyes opening. "I… thought it might have side effects… but…"

"More than just side effects, my dear." Vanitas chuckled dryly. "Your already _shitty_ sanity is crumbling into nothing. And my emotions are going haywire. Apparently I'm gonna die from it. Or cease to exist, or burn forever in the hell that is Sora's heart. Something along the lines of purgatory."

She laughed humorously. "Sorry…" she croaked. "I guess… even if I try to be good… I just end up screwing things up even worse."

Vanitas sighed, and dropped her arms. She moaned as she collapsed under her weight.

Her eyes widened quite a bit as he slipped his arms around her waist. "I don't know why I bother with you," he muttered, pulling her to his chest. His hand slid up her back, and slipped beneath her hair, clutching her skull in his fingers. She was frozen in fear, half of which coming from the paranoia nagging her that Ven and Roxas would walk in at any moment.

But her mind began to clear. She felt shadows creeping into her head, and slaughtering the hurtful memories. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Don't say I never do anything for you," he whispered into her ear, before he let her drop to the floor.

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_Sorry this took so long. The next chapter was harder to write. And it just opened annoying sub-plots that I probably will just skip. I just want to get to the damn part already. WHY IS IT SO HARD TO GET TO THE POINT?_

_So how was that nice long Ansem Report? I tried to make it a little obvious that the one Vanitas read in his file was the newest one. Aqua didn't read it, by the way. Don't spazz. She only read the Halfling thing. Which I should get into, but whatever. WHY IS THIS STORY SO LONG. ;w;_

_VanNami yum, whoo. Vanitas, why are you such a douche? STOP PLAYING WITH THE GIRLS IN MY STORY. THEY HAVE BOYFRIENDS ALREADY!_

_So, who watches HellfireComms' KH playthroughs? I LOVE them. And I find their BBS one awesome. Even if they spend all their time talking about Terra's idiocy. Which, I mean, yeah, he is kinda stupid sometimes, but without that stupidity there would be NO GAME. And the oldest is always the idiot. Not true with siblings, because my oldest sister is really smart. Anyway, I have fun watching it. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THEIR OPPINIONS ON VANITAS'S LINES! I mean, I could tell how dirty they were WITHOUT all my new knowledge (my friends have tainted my mind. Stupid people). JESUS! This is exciting._

_Okay... I hope you guys feel bad for Vanitas, because his existence really sucks. _

_Next Chapter: Acuity_


	50. Acuity

**White Knight: Fifty :Acuity**

Naminé collapsed at his feet, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of her. She had no idea what had just happened. But she felt… much lighter. Like a pressure on her brain had just been lifted. Everything around her seemed brighter, and sharper. The white wood beneath her cheek felt smooth, as if it had just been polished. Vanitas's pair of dark dress shoes looked completely new, and untouched by any foreign element. They didn't seem to fit the boy's rather disheveled appearance.

He stepped over her, ignoring her heavy breathing, and he scratched the back of his head. "Hey," he said turning his head back, and down at her. "This doesn't change anything. I'm still going with the plans."

Naminé digested his words, but they seemed to float in her head like air. She tried to reply, but she was too winded. She could barely moved, really.

The dark haired boy left the room, leaving her to ponder over whatever had happened. The crystal clearness was so new. She didn't know if she liked it. She couldn't think about what had happened before… anything… It was all too focused _now_. How was she supposed to look into her memories? Everything got blurry when she thought about years before… maybe even months before… she wasn't sure.

But she felt so… _good_.

* * *

"Naminé really likes you," Roxas said, as he pulled on a slightly wrinkled white button-down.

Ven blinked, looking up at his twin. "I'd hope so," Ven grumbled, fumbling with his tie. "I mean, I've been her servant for years."

Roxas laughed, and shook his head. "Yeah, I guess you have." He looked up.

Ven grinned, and jumped to his brother's side. "But, hey, look! Riku's parties are always super interesting. Like, the first one I went to, Riku pushed Terra into a table. I forget why. Riku was probably mad at him about something. And the year after that Riku wasn't even at his party. He got really sick, and was confined to bed for a few weeks. No one saw him for a month. It was actually kinda scary…"

"I remember that…" Roxas murmured.

Ven looked to his brother, finally tugging his tie into a sloppy bow. "You remember what?" he asked, blinking curiously.

"Riku going missing."

"How do _you _remember that?" Ven asked, peering at his twin with squinted eyes. "You were in the Light Region."

Roxas froze. "Uh…" The older twin turned, looking sheepish. "Yeah… Riku's actually like an honorary Light Region citizen."

Ven looked at his brother, confusion settling deep into his features. "I'm sorry," he said, leaning back against his bed, "but _what_?"

Roxas sighed, and shook his head. "Look, it's weird," he said, buttoning up his shirt. "Riku's been coming to the Light Region for a while. He's like a part of our family."

Ven stared at him, his eyes widening. "Oh…" he murmured.

Roxas swallowed. "Yeah," he muttered, letting go of his shirt.

Ven sat for a minute, before straightening up. "Well, that's good!" He grinned. "Riku's got friends! I mean, now I know he's not a total loner. And where he goes when he's not watching Xion."

"Xion…" Roxas said slowly. "He's talked about her, I think. Isn't he her bodyguard?"

"Yep!" Ven said, throwing a vest over his shirt. "He's to Xion what I am to Naminé."

"Oh. Is she insane too?"

"Not quite," Ven laughed. "No, um, she's just kinda like… calm. Quiet. Shy? I dunno. Don't really talk to her that much. But she's the complete opposite of Naminé."

"Well at least Riku doesn't have to worry about suicide attempts," Roxas muttered, fiddling with his own tie. He was much more adapted to the art of tying a tie than Ven, so it was quite easy to form a bow.

Ven shrugged. "Xion isn't the type to try suicide," he said, grabbing his suit coat.

"That's good." Roxas laughed, pulling his own vest on.

"She'd probably be too scared to." Ven shrugged, walking toward the door.

Roxas looked at him. He had no response to this.

It was odd, talking to his brother like this. There was an obvious wedge between them, but with all the things that had happened… it should be much worse.

But Ven just wasn't like that.

Roxas grabbed his own suit coat, or Ventus's version of one. It was weirdly cut, but rather fitting considering his brother's style. It was similar to his own.

He quickly followed his brother out the door, ever so curious on the details of Riku's party.

By the time they got into Naminé's hall, however, Ven pulled him abruptly to the side, hiding behind a wall.

"Wha—" Ventus's hand quickly muffled his confused cry.

"Vanitas," he whispered, peering over the corner. "He's coming from Naminé's room."

"Vani… what?" Roxas whispered back.

"Vanitas. The one Naminé hurt."

"Full recovery?"

"Looks like it."

"Lemme see."

"Ow, that's my head you're squishing!" Ven's whisper came out more like a hiss.

"Sorry… oh."

"Oh?" Ven asked, looking up at his brother, who was peering around the corner as well.

"Oh… he… looks a lot like Sora."

Ven blinked at the older twin. "Oh." He turned his head back to the dark haired boy. "Sora…"

Roxas flew past his brother, making him shout in surprise. Roxas ran into the hallway, looking rather determined. Ven bolted after him, feeling uneasy about his twin facing Vanitas.

"Hey!" Roxas shouted, and Ven stopped in his tracks, a few feet away from his brother. He looked a little frightened, his eyes darting between Vanitas and Roxas. He was swearing in his head, trying to find a way to reverse whatever had just happened. But it was too late. Vanitas turned around, a little reluctantly, to glare at them. But he was obviously not expecting to see two Vens.

His eyes widened, showing off the brilliance of the golden hue. Roxas seemed shocked as well, getting the full impact of his resemblance to a certain brunet. He stumbled back, his shoulder brushing against his brother's.

Vanitas looked between the two boys, his mouth opening, like he wanted to say something. But no sound came out.

Ven looked at his brother, the boy's obvious shock proving the resemblance between Vanitas and Sora to be great. The boy took Roxas's arm, and pushed him toward Naminé's door.

"Make sure she's alright," Ven said, his eyes not leaving Vanitas's.

Roxas gave him a look. "Ven," he muttered, his voice lowering. "Who is this guy?"

Ven look at his brother, and gave him a weak smile. "Go check on Naminé, kay?"

Roxas gave a short, dry laugh. "I'm not leaving you out here alone," he whispered, glancing at Vanitas.

"Sorry," Ven murmured, pushing him a little more forcefully toward Naminé's room. "Just don't worry about it."

Roxas looked at him, his mouth dropping open. He looked at Vanitas, then at Ven, and very, very slowly he backed toward the girl's door.

He entered the room, glancing back into the hallway, confused. He wasn't sure what exactly Ven was going to say to the boy, but he was extremely interested in questioning the resemblance between him and Sora.

His thoughts were cut off, however, when he spotted the tiny blonde on the ground.

"Naminé!" Roxas shouted, dropping to her side. She wasn't very far from the door. This scared him a little.

Roxas checked her pulse quickly, before noticing that the girl's eyes were open. He stared at her, but she said nothing.

"Shit," Roxas hissed, pulling her into his lap. "Naminé, what's wrong? What happened?"

She stared at him, blinking slowly. She raised her hand, placing it on his face. "Ventus…?" she murmured, closing her eyes.

"No." Roxas shook her a little. "It's Roxas, Naminé."

She opened her eyes, and looked up at him. "Oh…" she said quietly. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be!" Roxas gaped. "Are you okay? What did he do to you?"

Naminé looked at him. Her eyes widened, and she sat up straight. "Oh!" she gasped. "Vanitas!"

"Yeah…" Roxas said slowly. "What did he… hey!"

Naminé scrambled to her feet, nearly tripping over herself, and ran to the door.

"Naminé!" Roxas shouted, trying to catch her by the arm. But she was already out the door.

"Vanitas!" she cried, sliding to a stop in the hallway. "Vanitas! Wait!"

Roxas tumbled after her, throwing a glance down the hall. Vanitas had his back turned to them. Ven was looking at Naminé, seemingly confused.

Vanitas glanced back at her, and rolled his eyes. He said nothing as he made his way down the hall.

"Please wait!" Naminé gasped, running down the hall. "Please!"

Ven made no move to stop her, while Roxas quickly sprinted to his side. "What's she doing?" he muttered, his eyebrows furrowing. "I… don't get it…"

Ven blinked at his brother, and shrugged. "Waiting to see is the fun part." He smiled a little. Roxas just gave him an incredulous look.

Naminé reached Vanitas easily, grabbing his arm to pull him to a stop. "Vanitas… I didn't mean to…"

_Slap._

Naminé stumbled back, cupping her now bright red cheek. Vanitas had backhanded her, his back still turned to her and the twins.

Ven's eyes widened. "Nami—" he shouted, before getting cut off by Roxas.

"Don't." The boy grabbed his brother's arm. "Don't get him mad."

Ven gave his brother a look of utter despair. But he slumped, and looked back at Naminé and the raven haired boy.

Naminé's head was bowed. "I deserved that," she said, her voice breaking.

"Yes you did," Vanitas growled, spinning to face her. "Don't you think before you act? _Ever_? Because really, I think you should've at least considered the consequences before you did this."

"I know, and I'm so, so sorry!" Naminé looked up at him. "But I didn't know what to do! It was just an option that I had to choose. I couldn't ignore it!"

"No, you couldn't, could you?" Vantias asked in the coldest voice either twin had ever heard. "Well that's just fine and dandy, but I don't want this. At all. So take it back."

"I can't…" Naminé shook her head, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I… I'm so sorry, Vanitas, but I can't. You… I…"

Vanitas spun around, and stalked down the hallway. He left the air cold and dry, and Naminé looked completely heartbroken.

Ven shook his brother off him, and quickly ran to her side. "Naminé!" he gasped.

Her eyes flickered up at him. They were wide, and sparkling with tears, and rather piercing. Like she was seeing him for the first time. It was almost unnerving.

"Please don't ask," she said, her voice cracking. The tears fell over her lashes, and stained her cheeks. "Please…"

Ven stared at her. Then, rather quickly, he wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her closer to him. "I'm not going to ask about anything," Ven said, holding her head to his chest. "Don't worry."

She didn't say anything. She didn't even settle into the hug, like he expected her to. She just… stood there.

"Are you okay?" Roxas asked slowly as he walked toward them.

Naminé turned her head toward him, and nodded a little. "I'm sorry… that you two had to see that," she murmured, pulling away from Ven.

"We don't care," Ven insisted, leaning toward her. "Do we, Rox?"

"No." Roxas said, looking at the tiny blonde. "But I still really want to know why that guy looks like Sora."

Naminé looked up. "So… ra…?" she murmured. Her eyes widened, and she toppled backwards into the wall.

"Naminé!" The boys gasped in unison.

"_You should come with me!" Sora cried, grabbing her hands. "Kairi's the only girl. She'd be so happy to have someone to talk to!"_

"_Sora…" the young blonde murmured. "Don't waste your time on me. Just run while you can."_

"_And leave you here?" he asked, looked horrified. "No way! Who knows what icky experiments they'd put you through!"_

_She looked down. She brought her hand up, and rubbed the back of her neck, maybe self-consciously. "It doesn't matter. You need to go."_

"_No!" Sora cried, tugging her toward the door. "I can't just leave you behind! I would never be able to forgive myself!"_

"_Lower your voice!" she gasped, throwing a look over her shoulder. "Please go."_

"_What's your name?" Sora asked, looking down at her. _

_She looked up at the ceiling. "It's Naminé." she said, taking a deep breath._

"_Naminé." Sora grinned. "Pretty."_

"_Remove the 'a' and 'm' and you get nine." The girl tugged her hands from his. "Not so pretty."_

"_What?" Sora asked in a confused tone. "Nine?"_

"_Please go," Naminé_ _whispered. "Hurry before they come—"_

"_Naminé!"_

"_Oh, no…"_

"_What…"_

"_Run!"_

"_Hey, wait, I…"_

The world came back into focus. The sharpness stung her eyes.

"Naminé!" Ven shouted, taking her hands. "Naminé, are you okay? Should we take you to Aqua, or—"

Naminé ripped her hands from his, looking absolutely terrified. "No." She pushed past him, and ran into her room, leaving the other two boys very confused.

* * *

_Author's Rant_

_Huh. So, the next chapter was weirdly hard for me to write. Because it's a filler? I dunno. It's the shortest chapter in the story though._

_Lalalalalalalalala. So I started reading KH1 Manga, 'cause I made one of my friends read this (because she wanted to read a story of mine, and hey, this story is the basic definition of Alternate Universe), and now I'm trying to get her into Kingdom Hearts (Sorry, hun. There's gonna be some differences. But, um, most of the characters have the same personality. Except for Nami. ^/^). I should get her into Fullmetal Alchemist too. GOD. I never realized just how much I need people to be into the same thing I am. It's all well and good with online friends, but when you actually talk about stuff in real life it gets it off your chest. So, basically, READ THE MANGA, sweetheart. Or else I'll go even more insane._

_AMNESIA. WANT. Have you guys ever seen anything for it? I want to play it so badly! I watched a Let's Play of it, and the dude was SCOTTISH. I should subscribe to him, because even though he insists he shat his pants whenever a monster came around, HE SOUNDS SO CALM. _

_But I'm probably not going to play the game any time soon, because it did stuff to my head. One of the reasons I had trouble writing the next chapter, me thinks... XD_

_Something about the KH1 Manga... OH, um, it's hilarious. XD Sora's faces are like O.o all the time. AND THEY CURSE. Donald Duck says EFFIN. Like, HUH? I love you, whoever drew the KH Manga. *Armstrong tears*_

_Next Chapter: Thump Thump (because Dani got unorignal)_


	51. Thump Thump

**White Knight: Fifty One :Thump Thump **

"Get up, mouse."

She groaned, and looked up at him. What a bastard.

The dark haired boy threw a crumpled piece of paper into the garbage, and gave her a look. "Heal yourself and get out. I have shit to do."

"Wha…" she murmured, her head feeling incredibly heavy. Then she realized it. "You knocked me out _again_?" Aqua asked, trying to pull herself up. Honestly, the floor was pretty comfortable considering her head felt like it was cracked in the back. Which, knowing Vanitas, it was.

He yanked her to her feet, and she rocked, looking rather disgruntled. "I didn't give you a concussion or anything, mouse."

Aqua rubbed the back of her head, and felt around for the source of the pain. She winced when her fingers ran over a rather big bump, and sent some healing magic into this area. The pain faded quickly.

Her vision became a little clearer, and things stopped spinning. She blinked slowly, and glanced at Vanitas.

"Hey…" she said slowly.

He rolled his eyes. "I don't want to talk about it. At all." He shot a very heated glare at her, making her shift uncomfortably. "Back off."

"Vanitas, I…" Aqua started. She stopped. She didn't know what to say. She had no clue how to even start. "I… I'm sorry… I…"

"I told you to leave," he said, pushing her toward the door. "Didn't you hear me?"

"I know." Aqua looked at her wrist, which was tightly enclosed in Vanitas's hand. "But I just…"

"Stop," Vanitas demanded, giving her a steady, almost commanding look. "Seriously. Talk to me later when I feel up to it."

Her eyes widened a little. "Are you alright?" she asked, something knotting in her stomach, telling her it was probably her fault.

"No." Vanitas shoved her at the door. "Leave."

Aqua stumbled back into the door, feeling almost sad at his attitude toward her. She looked at him. "Fine," she murmured. "Fine. I'll leave." She tore her wrist from his grasp, and gave him a long look. Her eyes narrowed. "But you really have to learn to trust me."

"I don't have to _trust_ anyone," Vanitas snarled. "Least of all you!"

Aqua's eyes hardened. With every word the duo spoke, the air seemed to get heavier. They're attitudes were oppressive, and she was beginning to notice. With words, and anger, they were changing the way the world worked. Because Aqua was not an angry person, and Vanitas was never nice. These things were turning them inside out. The air was thick with their worries and secrets.

"If you don't learn to trust people," Aqua said, turning her back to the boy. "Then you might as well be damned."

"Thank you for the insight," Vanitas spat dryly. "But in case it's slipped that magnificent mind of yours, _I am already damned._"

"If you think so," Aqua muttered through gritted teeth. "So be it."

She left the room, feeling heavier. Darker, and more tired than before. Every step was a struggle. She felt herself spiraling into darkness, reaching desperately for _something_ to cling to, but nothing… nothing was there.

Maybe she was being over dramatic, but she could feel it. The darkness around her. For the first time in her life, she could feel the Dark Region's _pulse_. The floor beneath her thumped like a heart, twiddling with her senses. The beat pounded in her ears. It made her feel like she had a weight strapped to her shoulders and legs.

But the ground kept pulsing. Beating like a drum in her ears, in her mind, in her heart. Stepping forward was a hassle. She could hear it clearly now. In the darkness, whispers attached themselves to her, warning, waning her world. The whispers had no form. They had no texture, no voice, no life. Empty words were empty words, spat at her in the darkness. They _were_ warning. But of what? She had no clue.

Her breaths became shorter. She couldn't remember how to breathe. The whispers, and the pulsing floor, and the darkness that was smothering her just added up. She couldn't think clearly. She wondered if this was real… or if it was just in her head. Maybe Vanitas was doing something?

No.

This was real.

_Thump-thump-thump._

Was it her heart making the audible pounding, or was it the pulsing darkness around her?

* * *

Naminé fell back as they entered the large ballroom. It was huge, of course. Large enough for most of the citizens of the Dark Region to fit in it. And sure enough, people were flooding into the room, chatting idly, and smiling to one another. The girl felt a little lost.

Roxas hung at her side, a little frightened as people began to notice the twin. Ven had completely given up the art of stealth, running up to random strangers who Naminé was sure didn't know him at all, and asking their names.

Naminé smiled at his quirkiness, but she wasn't liking the attention. Like Roxas, she was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

She liked that Roxas and Ven were with her though. Ventus, the boy that cleared her head enough to let her see the light, and Roxas, who was not anything quite that special, but still. She felt close enough to him. And they both looked so cute, with their dress clothes…

She knew she didn't look all that great. She had picked out the simplest dress she could find, one that looked much like her usual white dress, with subtle changes in the straps and the way it flowed at her knees. She knew the differences quite well. It was strange to walk around like everything was… alright.

And she was still nagging herself about Vanitas.

She wasn't even sure why or _what_ she had done to him. And it was furiously gnawing at her brain to know that she was killing him. That she was going to be responsible for his death.

But then again, he could easily prevent it… right? Saving her would set things right. She could keep his emotions in check. She could probably live normally with Ven and Aqua, and Roxas and… well, Xion, if she ever got over her fears.

Speak of the devil, Xion was walking carefully toward her. Roxas, who was still standing rather close to her side, scooted even closer. Naminé looked up at him. His eyes had gone wide at the sight of the dark haired girl. Recognition shone a little too brightly.

Naminé looked back to Xion, a frown gracing her lips. The 'twin' looked sullen, and tired.

"Naminé…" Xion murmured.

Naminé said nothing. She only stared at her blankly, not sure whether or not to respond. Roxas opened his mouth, but Naminé tugged on his sleeve before he could get any words out.

"Hello, Xion," she said cautiously. Roxas looked down at her, looking utterly lost.

"Roxas, this is my…" Naminé fell short. She was introducing Xion, but…

She didn't really know who Xion was. And saying the girl was her twin was not going to fly well. She didn't want to lie anymore.

"My… friend, Xion."

Xion stiffened. Her sharp blue eyes flickered to Naminé's face, begging for something like hate. But she got nothing.

Naminé knew Xion better than Xion knew her. Xion was quiet, and submissive. Like Naminé had been when she was first created. But Naminé learned. Xion just sat, and succumbed to her fears.

Naminé had hated her. _Loathed_ her very existence. Xion kept stuffed animals to keep herself from feeling alone, so Naminé took them and ripped them to shreds. She thought _she_ was alone. At least she wasn't trapped inside her own head! How Xion had the audacity to think she suffered compared to her, Naminé never knew. But now she saw that Xion really wasn't evil.

No. She was just pitiful.

What a worthless existence, she thought, looking upon the black haired girl. Why doesn't she stand up for herself, and get herself something to live for?

Because if she only wanted to protect her life, then what was it? At all? Pathetic, and useless. Naminé saw that Riku cared about the girl, but the girl had no clue what it meant to care for anything.

And so…

This was the reason why Naminé really got better. She realized she needed more to live for, and she got it. She had Ven, and Aqua, and Terra (though her never talked to her, she hoped he at least cared a little for her), and Roxas, and Vanitas.

What helped was the clearness of Ven. He just cut through all the bad, and illuminated all the good. Grogginess, and faded memories taunted her before. But now she could barely remember the fact that she had _been_ created. Vanitas really knew how to heal. Or maybe it was just the darkness in his power. It cut off her memories. Made recent things sharp, and old things foggy.

Naminé stepped around Xion, feeling rather annoyed with her. She really needed to get on her feet. Before she get completely loses her sense of life.

Roxas ran quickly after her, throwing Xion a long look of confusion, before the words he had been searching for came tumbling from his mouth.

"She looks exactly like Kairi, save the hair."

"Kairi…" Naminé murmured, the name ringing a bell in the back of her mind. "Right. Don't mind that. She looks like a lot of people. Easy to get confused."

"But—" Roxas started. Naminé looked at him, and shook her head.

"Don't." She looked around with a tiny bit of worry showing in her doll-like features. "Xion's different. Get involved with her at your own risk. She has moral issues."

"Doesn't everyone here?" Roxas muttered, looking around the room. Dozens of party goers passed, and Naminé could tell he saw through them just as well as she could.

"Some," Naminé murmured. "Some, but not all."

"Ven doesn't, I guess…" Roxas said, looking to his twin, who was chatting idly with Hope, who had just walked in with a very pretty looking Lightning.

"No." Naminé smiled, stepping toward them. "Ven's moral compass points directly north."

"It's odd," Roxas said, smiling as well. "I mean, Ven is so… happy. Despite everything that's happened to him. I mean, I know it's taken a toll on me. But he…"

"He doesn't remember most of it," Naminé said quietly, looking up at Roxas. "You have to remember that."

"Yeah, yeah, I know…" Roxas muttered, scratching the back of his head. Naminé giggled. He shot her a look. "What?" he asked, his eyes widening.

She shook her head, a sad smile appearing on her lips. "You just act a lot like him. That's all."

And with that, she made her way toward her friends.

Hope noticed her right away, and he smiled, waving her over. Ven turned immediately, and grinned broadly. "Naminé!" he cried, jumping to her side. "What took you so long?"

She turned to point toward Xion, and Roxas (who was walking slowly toward them)."I was over there and…" She squeaked rather audibly as Ven through his arms around her, squeezing her as tight as possible.

"You're feeling better, Nami, right, right?" Ven asked excitedly. Naminé half expected him to woof.

"I feel fine," Naminé gasped, the air completely leaving her lungs. "Can I breathe now?"

Ven let go of her, and laughed a little sheepishly. "Uh…" He glanced up at the ceiling. "Yeah. Sorry. You've just been worrying me."

"I'm fine," Naminé said, her shoulders slumping. "Really." She looked to Lightning, and smiled a little. "You look very pretty, Miss Lightning."

The woman was obviously taken aback. But it was true. Her light pink hair was groomed into sleekness, rather than careless scraggles. The soft looking strands were pulled over her shoulder, like usual, but pinned with a beaded clip. Her dress was a very light pink, almost white, a little milky against the woman's rough looking skin.

"See, Light, people notice." Hope beamed, looking pleased.

Lightning rolled her eyes, and gave Naminé a little reluctant pat on the head. "You look very nice yourself, Naminé."

The blonde looked at her, and then looked down, sighing a small bit. She didn't really believe that.

Hope peered over Ven's shoulder, and smiled slightly. "You did make it," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "I'm glad."

Ven and Naminé turned, and saw that Roxas was only a foot or so behind them. Ven's eyes widened a bit, while Naminé pieced together everything quickly.

"You know each other?" Ven gaped, looking between Lightning and Hope and Roxas.

Roxas blinked, and gave Ven a quizzical look. "Yeah," he said slowly. "They were the ones who told me where to find you."

"We thought he was you," Hope smiled a little, and brushed some of his silver hair from his eyes. "I mean, it's kind of hard to miss that hair."

"Ha ha…" Ven muttered, ruffling his blond spikes. "I am a gifted individual to have hair that defies gravity like this."

"Of course," Naminé giggled, clasping her hands together. Ven looked down, and beamed at her.

Roxas turned, and began to wander off. Ven was the first to notice, tilting his head back to get a better look.

"Oh!" he cried. "Terra!"

"Terra?" Naminé murmured, looking over as well. Terra was indeed walking toward them, his hands tucked in his pockets.

"Terra, Terra, Terra, Terra, Terra, Terra, TERRAAAAAA!" Ven shouted, causing many people to throw glances their way. Naminé's eyes widened a bit, as well as Roxas's, as they watched Ven jump onto the older boy's back.

"Holy shit," Roxas muttered. Naminé nodded in agreement.

Well, it was a bit obvious that Ven, like his young friend, was a tad insane.

Only a tad.

* * *

_Don't have time to edit it. Sorry. I was going to add something else at the end to lead into the next chapter, but I can't. Maybe I will later._

_The next chapter makes up for this one. I had loads of fun writing it. The second half got my mind off things, so I'm glad. Um, so like I said last chapter, this one was hard for me to write. I dunno why. It just was._

_Next chapter is way better. Promise._

_Next Chapter: Meltdown_


	52. Meltdown

**White Knight: Fifty Two :Meltdown**

The evening was odd. Off. Naminé could feel it in her heart. Her newly sharpened senses worked double time as she began to feel the shift.

Darkness.

It was stifling. For anyone who resided in light, it was oppressive, and crushing. Naminé could feel the added weight deep in her soul. She looked to Ventus. His eyes had drooped a bit, and he became noticeably quiet. Then Naminé looked to Roxas. His face had paled quite a bit, showing off a gaunt quality that Naminé recognized. He was frightened, obviously feeling the darkness more strongly than Ven. Something about the Light Region gave Roxas the lower hand at this point.

Beneath her feet, the ground began to tremble. The party goers began to fade into the background, blurring into the music, and dances. Faceless, colorless individuals floating as blobs in the space of her mind. Moving was a hassle, as the air became heavier and heavier. Slow motion, the blur of the guests, and the sharpness of the darkness spun rapidly in her mind. The ground pulsed, shouting a warning signal up her legs.

She screamed, feeling the dark current spiral into the depths of her bones, igniting them with the purest darkness. She stumbled and crashed to the dance floor, crying out as she went. What had just happened? She certainly hadn't done anything. The shifting… the darkness couldn't have done that. Why would it?

The whirring of the music floated wispily at the top of her mind, a soft buzzing in her ears. Her legs were burning, pain bubbling under the surface of her skin. What _was_ this? The tips of her fingers were turning cold as they drummed erratically against the dance floor. Like something was really beneath her skin, forcing her fingers against the tile.

She felt her nerves begin to cool, but with unsettling results. Just as her skin stopped crawling, and her bones ceased aching, she was on her feet. Her eyes were wide as the room leveled, and the music sped up to a light, airy tempo. Swaying a little, she saw the shocked faces around her. Some were recognizable, while others were absolutely blank. She felt lost, and a little scared. She couldn't think, or breathe regularly, not with the pounding of her heart in her ears, and the pulsing of the earth beneath her.

She lurched forward, her legs leading her with some unknown strength. Her eyes flickered around the strange room, nausea creeping into her stomach. They were all staring at her. Like she was a freak show. Faceless people, with no being. She swayed. What right did _they _have to stare at _her_?

She spun as she felt someone close in on her. She saw the glare of light, but nothing else. She shielded her eyes, and stumbled back, her bones creaking in her skin.

Words. Shouted at her.

Empty.

She stared at the figure, her mind racing. What was this? Something… something… she couldn't hear, or see. Her focus was fading, but the light was so _bright_. She could see the silhouette, but…

"What…" she rasped, her throat dry.

Murmurs erupted around her. She didn't know what to do. The music whirred, and sped up to a rustling beat, taunting her confusion.

She shook her head, feeling the pounding her heart speed up. She flinched, the thundering of the music crashing into the voices. "No…" she groaned, grabbing a fistful of hair. "Oh, no…"

Something landed on her shoulder, but she threw herself backwards immediately, as if she had been burned.

Her eyes flickered around the room, and she felt alienated. Eyes were gazing sightlessly at her, boring into her skin. She spun around once, her hair whipping with her. Twice. Three times. She felt hopelessly lost. Like she had been dropped into some foreign country. Her mouth opened, and she could taste her words as they were ripped from her mouth.

"Empty," she whispered, clutching her thundering heart for dear life. "You're all empty."

She staggered forward, raising her trembling hands to her head, clutching her hair tightly in her fists. "I'm empty too…" She looked around the room, her eyes beginning to water. She shook her head, her legs beginning to move again. A slow, unsteady walk.

Then she fled the room, her tears visible in the light of the fluorescent silhouette.

Her feet moved through the halls of the mansion, the dim corridors stark with yellow shadows. She could feel them drawing her toward the darkness she had felt earlier. The source of her sudden confusion.

She knew it was an awful idea. She could feel it deep inside her gut, the call to run away. But she just couldn't. Her legs were drawn to the growing darkness, though they wobbled and ached. She had no choice. Her mind was torn between wanting, needing to find the looming threat, and wanting just as badly to run like hell.

Was she dreaming? She wondered this, hoping a little. It would make sense. If she was just dreaming, then she would have no trouble with facing the darkness. She gladly would accept it, embrace it, rather than flee from it. In a dream, fleeing was scarier than the monster chasing you.

She didn't know. Her memories fluttered across her mind, but she couldn't quite get a hold of them. They were there, but not quite. She felt odd, and empty. Wiped clean of her persona, and placed in a blank box.

But this feeling was beginning to fade.

And when it faded, it faded fast.

She stood, disgruntled and confused, in a corridor somewhere deep in the mansion. It was like she had been dragged into the bowels of the place, blindfolded and gagged. The corridor looked just like the one she had leapt into when escaping the oppressive party, with subtle differences. It simply looked like a dark black hallway, with stone walls and the dimmest yellow light illuminating the dullest blue-green eyes…

She tottered back, bringing her hand to her mouth. She had no idea what to do anymore. Her mind was so screwed up, she just wanted to run.

So she stepped back, placing her other hand on the smooth onyx wall for support. She felt the darkness pulling at her, taunting, laughing. Where was Vanitas, she wondered, when his element was so obviously strongest?

Truth be told, Naminé did not _want_ to see Vanitas. She felt horrible about whatever she had done to him. And she felt even more awful about the fact that it escaped her what she had done to him. Really. She had absolutely no clue.

She breathed deeply through her hand, trying to get some fresh air to her starving brain. She felt the darkness around her… the real, true Darkness. The suffocating shadows moving about. Not just a fairytale, or an illusion. They were really moving all around her.

The dim light got noticeably brighter as she became more and more in touch with her surroundings. And with this, the shadows around her fidgeted intensely. Her eyes darted for a moment, before they landed on the pitifully soft eyes a few yards away.

The empty, almost soulless gaze found hers quite easily in the darkness. They sparked subtly with recognition.

"Nami…" he started, before his voice faded out. His eyes were completely lost now. Naminé felt a twitch in her stomach. Was that how she had looked moments before?

She gave him a long, sorrow filled look, before taking a step toward him. It couldn't hurt to help.

But then she saw it. The figure that appeared near his side, looming in a hunch. Her blood chilled in her veins.

She spun on her heel, ready to flee. But she never got the chance.

She was struck with a massive wave of emotion, tugging at her heart in every kind of way. The shadows swayed around her, grasping at her ankles. She was violently flung forward, the icy tentacles wrapping tighter and tighter around her joints. No. No, she had she run. This didn't work. Not at all.

She pulled backwards against the dark binds, trying to take back whatever willpower that had just been stolen from her. She wasn't just going to let him drag her away. She had to try and fight. For once in her life, she was going to defend herself.

She was winning, too. Her legs moved back on her command, much to her surprise and delight. She kept her feet firm as she backtracked slightly from the Darkness, and the old Master.

Sadly, she wasn't much of a match for him.

She may have gotten some kind of control of her legs, but the Darkness was still on her. And the stronger her thoughts became, the brighter the light in the hallway shined.

The brighter the light, the bigger the shadow cast.

She was caught off guard when the icy blackness grappled tightly at her arms, pushing her against the hard stone wall. She managed to gasp a little, the impact leaving her breathless, and aching. What in the world…?

She was whipped around, the shadowy tendrils slicing through her skin. She cried out, shocked that the darkness really could injure her. She panicked, and struggled against the thick, dark substance. This earned a chuckle from the tanned old man, and she screamed in frustration. She felt some small shame in thrashing about like a mad person, but then she remembered, clearly, that she was _in fact _a mad person. She tried to rip through the dark arms pinning her to the wall, tear at them, bite them, claw them to shreds. But they were invincible, immune to her primitive ways.

"Let me go!" she screamed, throwing herself away from the wall. But the Darkness kept her pinned in place.

When she was finally flung from the wall, she was flung hard. She hit the floor, and felt her forehead split open. She wanted to scream again, but she was too in shock. She was crashing into walls, into the floor. She was feeling so awful, and useless. But she didn't want to give up. She couldn't. She just couldn't do that.

She scrambled to pick herself up off the tile, her cuts burning from the strain. The icy arms threw her at the wall again, but stopped her short of hitting it. She yelled to no one as she was yanked around the hallway, sometimes hitting the walls, sometimes stopping short. Either way she was getting beaten. Not too badly, but the cuts on her arms, and the long scratch on her forehead were something to look at.

Her breath hitched as she was tossed to the floor. The arms tightened their iron grip, and she cried out, her fingers turning numb. The cold, icy tendrils began to drag her swiftly across the floor.

"No…" she murmured as she was tossed at the man's feet. She was propped on her knees, kneeling like a subject before a king.

Xehanort grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her deep blue eyes to come into contact with his cold, merciless golden ones. She gritted her teeth, and looked away. She couldn't stand it.

"I thought so…" the man spat, his scratchy voice grating her nerves.

"Leave me alone!" Naminé spat back, tugging at her restrained arms.

"Like a caged animal, aren't you?"

She could barely glare at him. She knew it was true. She was trusting only her instincts, and thrashing was one of them.

He grabbed her by the neck, and pulled her to her feet. "Time to learn your place, my precious little weapon." He smirked, pulling her by her tow colored hair toward the basement.

He turned to the broken boy beside him. "Bring Vanitas," he whispered, before disappearing into the darkness.

It took several minutes for Riku to oblige.

* * *

She was flung around some more inside the lab.

He threw her at the operation table, and her back smacked against it with a slam. Her breathing sped up rapidly as she grasped the cold metal slab above her, pulling herself to her knees. She gave Xehanort a long, hate filled glare.

"Bastard…" she whispered, her arms wobbling as she stumbled to her feet.

Xehanort simply smiled, and walked past her, toward the tray of torture utensils. "You know, sweet little Naminé, you really have been a bad girl." He tutted, glaring down at her. She let out a shaky breath, and squeezed the metal table tightly. He couldn't intimidate her, he couldn't, he couldn't…

"Look at the mess you've made," Xehanort continued, plucking a pronged screwdriver from the set, and holding it to her neck. "It's so mean of you to play with boys' feelings."

She squeezed her eyes shut, her muscles aching as her grip tightened further on the table. "I only did it because I thought it was right," she murmured, her lips chapped, and her throat dry.

"Well obviously you were wrong." The man's voice was cold, and biting. She waiting, almost patiently, for the strike that was about to come.

And, yes, it came.

She cried out as the pronged tool slashed against her cheek, leaving blood to build and pool onto her rosy skin.

"People don't change, my dear," Xehanort spat, digging the prongs into her shoulder and pulling down. She screamed, her eyes widening as her skin was torn open. Tears built in her eyes, and she began to thrash, trying to push the man away.

"Stop it!" she cried, ripping the pronged instrument from her skin. It clattered to the floor, her blood splattering around it. Her tears were free now, springing to life down her cheeks, colliding with her cut and the blood, and stinging the wound.

The door slid open.

As the master turned from her, she broke down into sobs, sliding to the floor.

"Nami…?" Vanitas's voice was soft, a little shocked. It shot a pang of hurt through her heart, as she remembered that she was responsible for his own hurting.

"Vanitas," Xehanort barked. "What is the meaning of this?" He gestured wildly toward the torn girl on the floor.

Vanitas's voice seemed to falter, before he regained his standoffish attitude. "You beat the shit out of her." He turned away. "Not my problem."

"You gave her back her sanity."

Naminé stiffened at this, as did Vanitas.

They both knew it was true, on some level. Her sanity was really there. She knew it, he knew it. Xehanort obviously knew it.

"That was an accident," Vanitas said finally. "I only meant to heal her."

"Well you did a bit more than that, didn't you?" The man didn't even look angry. Just… gleeful.

"Whatever I did, it doesn't matter." Vanitas walked to the girl's side, and yanked her to her feet. "She's still yours to command. She won't back down."

Naminé felt the immense urge to curl up, and hide. But he was right. She couldn't defy Xehanort.

The man gave her a once over, and she cringed. "Riku, take her to the pods."

Riku, who had been hiding in his knot of shadows, appeared behind the old Master, surrounded by awful little shadows. He did nothing, however. His eyes moved a little, toward Naminé.

"Riku…" the Master frowned, looking at his son. The boy took a small step back, like he was about to leave.

That was not the case.

The shadows around him immediately struck back, enveloping him in a veil of Darkness. Naminé squeaked, and Vanitas's grip on her arm tightened. He pulled her a little closer to his side.

The shadows quickly dispersed, leaving Riku completely broken. He stood there for a moment, mouth agape. Then he crashed to the floor.

Naminé cried out, and ran toward the boy. Vanitas held her back a little, but she only ended up dragging him with her.

"Riku?" she asked the boy she had never really spoken to. He was completely limp.

"Why would you do that?" Naminé gasped, looking up at the Master. She clutched her bleeding shoulder, more tears flooding over her cheeks.

"He did it to himself," the Master snorted, grabbing her by her hair, and dragging her from the room.

He called back to the raven haired boy, over the screams of the tiny witch.

"Don't forget the hostage."

Vanitas slumped. How could he forget? She was usually on his mind anyway.

* * *

_Confuzzled? Heh. Don't worry. The next one is worse._

_That silhouette in the beginning is Ven, if you people didn't guess. I hope you did._

_Something's wrong with Riku. Uh oh._

_Uh, what happened to Nami should be explained later, but just to let you know, she wasn't going insane. That was just something that incidentally happened to her. Something similar happens next chapter._

_So, quick update, yeah? I'm not in school right now (long ugly story. Shortened, I'm in Canada right now, and I have lots of free time that I should be using to do homework, but instead I'm creating this beautifully insane story), so might as well use the time wisely._

_Dododododo. I came up with a crack pairing today. Dunno why. Came out of nowhere when I was trying to think of someone to pair Roxas up with. But here it is, and it's dedicated to Divine Wolfe, not that she's reading this story at the moment, but when she does..._

_It is RitaxRoxas (Rita from Tales of Vesperia, and if you've played it don't rant about it because I actually haven't played it. XD I've only seen stuff about it.). Oh, yeah. Don't ask how or why, because you won't get an answer. It just popped up. _

_Next Chapter: Tainted (and yes it's confuzzling. YES IT IS.)_


	53. Tainted

**White Knight: Fifty Three :Tainted**

Vanitas looked up at the ceiling, the sounds of Naminé's screams echoing lightly in his mind. He didn't understand why Xehanort would beat the crap out of her, then lock her up. Didn't he _need_ her? She was what he was looking for. What all his experiments had led to. She was why he existed.

So why was she being treated like this? Because she had screwed up with him? Well, he didn't really mind that. She was getting punished for her interference with his emotions. She deserved it. But it wasn't really about what she had done to him.

It was about what he had done to her.

How stupid it was to have healed her. He was such an idiot. He didn't mean to give her back her sanity… he just knew that if she went completely bonkers, he wouldn't stand a chance. But he didn't want her sane. He didn't want to know what she was like sane. Ever.

He stopped in his tracks suddenly, as he passed a disgruntled figure on the ground. He backed up, and peered at the heap of blue with curious eyes.

"You just can't get enough of me, can you?"

She groaned in response, making it obvious she was still conscious. Vanitas kneeled down, and poked her. She twitched, but didn't do much else. With a sigh, the dark haired boy flipped her onto her back. She was rather still, and rag dollish. Could it be that she was paralyzed?

"Mousey," Vanitas whispered, poking her cheek impatiently. "Girly."

She didn't respond. She shuddered a little, and her mouth opened, a tiny moan escaping her lips. Vanitas tilted his head.

"Hey," he took her arm in attempt to awaken her. "What's up with—"

Her eyes snapped open.

Vanitas jumped back as her blood curdling scream filled the hallway. He clamped his hands over his ears, his eyes widening as she lurched to her feet, her scream still at full blast. Her eyes were quivering in their sockets, looking like they were about to burst.

And without warning she lunged at him.

The boy was unprepared for the attack, and he felt her hands wrap tightly around his neck before he could even think of throwing her off of him. They toppled to the floor, the air sweeping from his lungs immediately from the blow to his back. This didn't help his situation much, as Aqua squeezed his throat with all of her strength, cutting off any air supply.

He gritted his teeth as his vision became blurry. Oh no _way_ was he letting her win.

He brought his knee up, shoving it to her stomach. She screeched with pain, her grip on his neck loosening enough for him to shove her off of him. He breathed deeply, relishing the freshness of air. He glowered at Aqua, who was clutching her stomach, moaning. Vanitas glared at her, and he grabbed her, slamming her into the wall. Her eyes snapped open, and once more she screamed like she was looking at a grotesque monster.

Well, she was…

Vanitas tried to clear his blurry vision, but found that he was just too angry to wait around for that to happen. So he hit Aqua instead.

"Why," he growled slapping her across the face. The screaming continued. "Won't." He punched her this time, not exactly hard enough to break her jaw, but still enough to get a normal person to shut their face. "You." He slammed her back against the wall. "Be fricking _quiet_?"

She ceased her screaming, but the thrashing continued on. She pushed at Vanitas, her nails clawing at his suit. She let out a cry of frustration, as he pinned her arms to the wall. Her cries turned into animalistic snarls, and she struggled with her arms, and legs, thrashing like she was possessed.

Vanitas's vision began to clear, and he saw her face. It was twisted with anger, and anguish, completely unrecognizable behind these emotions. Her sharp features were wild, and she seemed to want nothing but Vanitas's blood.

But the most disturbing thing about her appearance was her eyes.

The amazing deep cerulean that he had come to hate (or love; whatever, same thing) was tinted gold. A dark, molten gold. Almost brown.

He was so in awe, he didn't hear the rush of footsteps coming toward him.

"Aqua!"

Vanitas rounded quickly on whoever had come toward him, his Keyblade materializing in his hand. But he was too slow.

A fist connected hard with his face, sending him stumbling back in surprise. He blinked, and rose his Keyblade, swinging with blind fury.

He didn't land a single hit.

Someone slammed into him, wrenching his Keyblade from his hand and knocking it into his stomach. Aqua's screams filled his ears as she squeezed her eyes shut and clawed at her face.

"Aqua!" a group chorused. Vanitas's Keyblade returned to him as he regained his strength, and he growled, building up his magical strength and sending an array of lightning bolts at his opponent.

He shrieked in pain, dropping to the floor. Vanitas finally got a good look at him.

It was Ventus.

He was oddly surprised, and a little impressed that such a normal boy could dodge his blows, and land some of his own. He even had the strength to take his Keyblade from him! No one had managed to do that. Ever.

The boy convulsed wildly, the electricity running its course through his body. The smell of burning flesh pervaded Vanitas's nose, and felt a little surge of pleasure. Killing again. It would be absolutely _amazing_ to kill again.

But an ache in his chest stopped him in his tracks.

He blinked slowly as a flash of pain shot through his heart, driving him against the wall. His eyes widened as he pulled his hand over his hand over his chest, clutching his heart as its beating turned rapid.

"Ven!" This shout rung in the hall as the boy convulsed rather harshly against the radioactive yellow lightning. Vanitas cringed, a tiny voice somewhere within him screaming out as well. He pushed the voice back, burying it deep inside his heart. She wasn't conscious of her surroundings anymore, so she was relying on his senses to help her? What a little leech.

"Ventus!" The voice was familiar. Soft, but not quite as musical as Naminé's, whose voice gave silence life. This voice was a tad more sullen, giving a rough undertone. Like forming words was a struggle.

Vanitas straightened, the stabbing at his heart becoming duller. He glared at the cluster of friends, who watched him with very unique stares of their own. Each pair of eyes fell on him, glaring with the utter most hatred.

Even her eyes held something like disgust, and horror.

What did she expect?

The silence was broken suddenly as the familiar whoosh of a Keyblade being called into existence pulled against the air.

"Bastard!" Was the battle cry Terra had chosen as his key was brought down against his ribs. Vanitas felt them crack like twigs, and the pain from his heart turned into a sudden flame that grilled at his torso.

Terra pulled the gigantic Keyblade back, the copper colored teeth of the blade screeching against the stone floor as he dragged it backwards. His eyes were wide with hatred, and his wrath radiated off him in thick waves.

"Don't you dare," the older boy growled, lifting the goliath of a blade, its weight having no effect on him, "hurt my friends!"

He brought the blade down on Vanitas once again. The thick teeth sliced into his shoulder, while the weight of the blade collapsed on him. He dropped to his knees, a cry of pain slipping from his lips.

"Terra, don't." A cool, feminine voice rung in Vanitas's ears as he processed the pain. He was in too rough a shape to fight back. He knew it. But still, he kept trying to think of a way…

A woman walked up behind Terra, her face illuminated only by the torch on a nearby wall. She had the face of a soldier, and there wasn't a doubt about it. Vanitas could see this even in his broken down state. Her eyes flickered across his face, studying him closely.

Terra had stopped upon the woman's command, but his blade was still hovering over Vanitas, waiting patiently to strike the final blow. Terra looked back at the woman, his eyes blazing.

"What?" he asked, his voice shaking with all the anger withheld in it. "What is so wrong with wiping his miserable face from existence?"

"It's wrong!" It was a boy. An ashen haired boy, who was bent over Ventus, trying to stop the lightning from crackling around the injured boy like a shield. "Don't be an idiot. You can't just kill a person."

Terra gritted his teeth, and looked back at Vanitas. The boy coughed, and a little bit of blood dribbled down his lip.

Terra gripped his Keyblade tightly. "Whatever…" he murmured, dismissing the giant key with a flash of dull light. He turned toward Ven, who was still convulsing in a cocoon of lightning. "Dammit…"

"Lightning?" The ashen haired boy's voice quivered slightly. "Can you get rid of it?"

The soldier woman ripped her gaze from Vanitas, spinning on her heel to look toward the electrocuted boy. "I don't do magic, Hope." She sounded a little sad, as if she wished she could help. "I can only produce faux lightning— trying to control this type of magic would kill me."

The boy– Hope, looked away. "Duh…" he muttered, edging back toward Aqua. She was still screaming, but in a way that suggested not pain, or fear, but simple insanity. Vanitas groaned, and lifted his hand slowly, feeling around his chest for his broken ribs.

"I've got it," said a strangely familiar voice. Vanitas gritted his teeth as he pulled himself to his feet. His arm hung limply at his side, as if he had lost all ability to use it. He shoved his back against the wall in hopes of staying on his feet. Through his thick black spikes he saw the obscured image of a blond boy. A blond boy identical to the one writhing on the floor.

"Roxas…" Vanitas turned his head to the side, and spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor.

Roxas looked up, raising his hand. In a flash of almost blinding light, a Keyblade appeared. It was rather bright in design, metal windings painted ivory, and blue, and yellow. He gripped the blade tightly, and twisted his arm as the blade glowed iridescently against the dark tinted lightning.

The lightning crackled around the blade, pulsing erratically around the light that had been released to fight it. Vanitas shielded his eyes quickly as he collapsed against the hysterical Aqua. She didn't seem to notice or care that he was slumped against her. She simply continued screaming.

As the light dispersed, so did the lightning. Ventus was limp with shock, his skin charred in places. Roxas gritted his teeth as he summoned all his strength to cast a _Curaga_. The spell activated quickly, a flow of ebbing green light curling around the electrified boy like a ribbon.

The blotches of sickening black that covered pieces of Ventus's skin washed away, revealing something regular, and milky. Ven's eyes opened quickly, just in time for Roxas to stumble backwards into a strange duo. Vanitas groaned, and healed his aching ribs in a haste. Aqua's screams rumbled in his ears, and he wondered how exactly this had happened to her. His theory was as good as any other… but it was still a theory. A probable one.

"Roxas?" Ven croaked as Terra pulled him to his feet. Roxas raised his head, and gave his brother a shaky thumbs up.

Vanitas closed his eyes, and healed the rest of his body. He was so weak… he hadn't even tried to defend himself against Terra. Why? He wasn't sure. He just… felt so _bad_. Like there was something missing inside him. Something that had never been there, never ever in his whole life, but he had kept himself distracted so he wouldn't notice. Killing was easy. It was easy, and fun, and fulfilling. But now he couldn't kill. Now it felt bad, and it made his chest ache like nothing else.

He knew Naminé had meant well. But still, he wished dearly that she had just left him alone. Didn't she know that he wasn't just her _toy_? He wasn't Ventus. He wouldn't bend at her whim.

But he knew she was suffering as well. He knew that he could very well be just fine, so long as he just kept that girl sane and alive. But the thing was, he couldn't save her. It was hard to believe that he would just throw his life away, but what could he do? He had nothing to live for. Aqua, maybe, but Aqua had her own life to live. She didn't need to be bothered by him. She'd be so much better off if she hated him.

But he could tell she didn't. Not anymore.

What had changed? Between the hate that they shared for each other… it had turned into something entirely different.

He knew she didn't love him. Because, of course, who could ever love him? Even Naminé had trouble with him. She liked him, and she knew him like no other, but she didn't love him. Aqua was the same. She liked him, and wanted to help so badly, but at the same time she was absolutely repulsed by his very existence.

So maybe he wanted to be like Sora. Because Sora had the good life. The pleasant personality, the one that drew everyone to it like a beacon. He had the friends who cared deeply for him, and the courage to protect the people he cared for. He knew what his feelings were, and he could see the difference between right and wrong as clear as day.

He was the better half. He would always be the better side of Vanitas that could never be frayed.

Maybe going back to him wouldn't be so bad after all…

Vanitas scooted away from Aqua tiredly as Terra bent down next to her, enveloping her in a hug. Her screaming ceased immediately, and Vanitas almost laughed. Of course Terra could calm her down. Terra was like a big bulky comfort blanket. But still, it wouldn't last long. Vanitas knew he'd have to fix her somehow, before she attacked one of them. She'd never forgive him if he let her do something bad to them.

He stood up shakily, ignoring the glares he received from the amazing gang of misfits. He gave Terra a long look, and the older boy glared right back.

"What did you do?" Terra asked, his voice nearly calm, but holding a very deadly undertone.

"You know," Vanitas said, throwing his head back to look at the ceiling. "For once, absolutely nothing."

"You were beating her up before, you asshole."

Vanitas shrugged, fingering the tear in his dress shirt. "_She_ attacked _me_. It's in my nature to attack back."

"What did you do to make her attack you, huh?" Terra looked ready to strangle the dark haired boy, and he pulled the eerily calm Aqua closer to his chest.

"Nothing. She's just messed up right now." With a shrug, Vanitas stepped toward her. Terra pulled her back almost immediately, making Vanitas groan.

"Okay." He stepped back. "Okay, you know what—" Vanitas had no chance to finish his sentence. Because, as expected, Aqua leapt to life, pushing her way out of Terra's grasp. Her muddily gold eyes darted around the room, passing over Vanitas quickly, as if he was not worthy to be strangled again.

She found her next target with great ease. He knew that she would probably want someone a little lighter than himself. Someone who hurt to look at.

Well, it was how he had become attracted to her, after all. He just had enough sanity to not attack her.

But this was not Aqua, and so she had no boundaries.

Her eyes were probably shielded in the darkness, but Vanitas could see it in Terra's face. He knew Aqua was completely off.

Vanitas stepped forward at the same time as Terra did. But it was too late.

Aqua, or the strange Darkness that was possessing her, had already latched onto her target.

Ventus cried out, a little too shocked, and fell to the floor as Aqua's inhuman screeches filled the air.

* * *

_So, I haven't updated in... two weeks. Oops. Okay, in my defense, I had to rewrite ninty percent of this chapter, deal with all the school work I missed when I was in Canada, catch up on the sleep I missed, fight off social problems (anyone know me long enough to remember in the Summer when I was uber upset that my [ex]best friend was leaving the school? Well she came back, and messed up everything. The whole mutual thing in my class that's like, "you don't bother me, I don't bother you". Drama is everywhere, and not even I can get away from it. Luckily I don't have much left of this year, sooo...), writing the next chapter, realizing just how much of the story is left and planning ahead ever so slightly, getting an idea for a Tales of Symphonia story (it will kick ass if Angel helps me get it running. Her writing and my plot twists? We could rule the world.), and, you know, sleeping with every chance I get on the weekends._

_Busy. _

_So, this plot twist isn't really one I care about too much. It should be important, but it's not. It's just an obstacle. To get all of them in the same room I guess. I dunno, I really don't think ahead much when I write. So, I know what happened to Aqua, but it's not really that important. And you're probably like, "WHUT. SHE JUST GOT POSSESSED, DANI! WTF!" Well, deal with it. She's not dead, or changing sides, and someone will fix it eventually (or next chapter), so cool your jets. _

_Also, my friends got me into this really awesome book series. The first one is called The Maze Runner. So if you like the weird way I write, with humor mixed with horror (and romance I guess) and action and plot twists CHECK IT OUT. Because I really admire the guy's use of cliffhangers. Very nice, Dashner, very nice. I'd like to meet you and tell you my opinion. _

_Oh, and I'm not telling you guys when the next chapter is the last one. I know most authors do that._

_Not me. _

_Toodles from Dani. :D_

_Next Chapter: All Finished_


	54. All Finished

**White Knight: Fifty Four :All Finished**

Her fingers were latched around his neck, digging deep into his skin. Ven's eyes bulged out of their sockets, and he twisted quickly beneath her, like he expected to squirm out of her grasp. Aqua's hands tightened around his throat as Ven's face turned red, nearing purple. Terra moved quicker than Vanitas, grabbing the blue haired girl around the waist and yanking her with little effort from Ventus's wriggling body.

Aqua didn't take well to being grabbed. She pulled at the older boy's arms, and kicked herself upward, her feet thrashing in the air. Terra gritted his teeth, and he called out her name in hopes she would stop acting crazy. It didn't help. Aqua threw her head back against Terra's chest, in some kind of silent spasm. She didn't open her mouth. She didn't make any kind of noise. It was not reassuring, or a relief, because it was even more eerie to watch her thrash soundlessly against the boy she had known for nearly all her life.

Vanitas stepped forward, shooting Terra a smug look when Aqua's feet fell to the ground at the sight of him. Aqua's calm lasted only a few seconds, before she began to pull back, her lips beginning to part against his palm. He had covered her mouth with his hand, expecting her to thrash around immediately when she figured what was happening.

Her eyes, the strange gold that they were, rolled upward. From her mouth, a cool, pulsing substance floated into his hand. The gold disappeared, draining from her eyes and leaving only the usual warmth of oceanic blue.

She dropped immediately, as if all her energy had left her body in one go. Vanitas stepped back, the fiery tendrils of the darkness winding their way up his arm. He flicked his wrist to the side, watching the tongues of thick blackness disperse into the air.

"Aqua!" Ventus seemed to still be worried about her, even though she had tried to strangle him seconds earlier. He rubbed his neck as a tiny girl helped him to his feet. Vanitas gave her a long look, wondering idly if she had finally grown a spine.

She caught his eye, and looked away rather quickly. Her grip on Ventus's shirt tightened, like he could save her from the expected wrath of Vanitas.

But Vanitas wasn't very angry at all. In fact, he felt extremely… empty. Why? His mind began to run blank.

He scratched his head, feeling the emptiness drop deep into his stomach, and sprout weeds of worry, and sadness, and grief. Vanitas cringed, and turned away. Something was very, very wrong.

"Vanitas?" Her voice was tiny, and annoyingly weak, but it was still her voice. The weeds of worry curled around the sadness, and they braided against each other as they grew, and festered pain, misery, anguish, regret. He didn't want to look at her, but all the same he was feeling awful about all the shitty stuff that he was causing in her life. She could be perfectly happy, if he just left her alone.

"Vanitas, what… what just happened?" Her voice cracked, and she sounded desperate, and fearful. Vanitas felt something shudder deep inside him, and his body began to scream out with all the bitter emotions that pulled at his heart, and fed on his mind, and scratched at his soul.

He groaned, and slumped back against the wall. Depression seeped into the deepest corners of his mind, and fresh giggles meshed with ghastly screams. He felt the whole world begin to tilt, and sway. The ground creaked, and squelched, and the giggles and screams warped into whispers, and moans.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what was happening, and he definitely had no clue how to fix it.

"Vanitas?" It wasn't her this time. It was a timid, soft voice, one familiar and oddly unknown. Something soft brushed against his cheek, and he winced, pulling away.

"Va… Vanitas, what is it?" Her small, quaking voice grew in volume, and Vanitas felt the immense _wanting_ that fell into those words, the urge to belong, the call to life. The one that he had been ignoring for so many years, and the one that had been hidden swiftly from her. The one that Naminé had heard, and acted on with everything she had.

"What's wrong with him?" It was Aqua. Her voice held the gentlest touch of worry, and this sent a rather large pang of doubt, and sorrow pulsing through his body.

"I'm sorry… I… I really don't know."

He felt the girl's hand graze his face once again, landing on his forehead. Vanitas twisted quickly, wildly, the contact with another human being sending his emotions completely awry.

Anguish, and resentment, and hopelessness all pouring into his heart at once, pounding against the icy barriers. Vanitas cried out, his eyes snapping open as Xion took a tiny step back out of fear. Fear that Vanitas felt clear as day, mixing into all the other worthless and ugly emotions. Her fingers still rested against his forehead, and they trembled on his skin.

Her face was stricken with something like pain, twisted, deformed. But still, Vanitas could see the traces of Naminé in there. The subtle bravery caught inside the girl's eyes, trapped in the strangest mass of blue.

But he knew that she could feel it. That bubbling, oozing pile of emotions that were stacking themselves on top of each other, crushing his insides. Her eyes got wider, and her mouth began to tremble, because it was way too much. For him, for her, for anyone.

Then she was ripped from him, her body crumpling on the floor like the puppet she was. Of course, she wasn't really a puppet… if anything, she was the puppet master in the whole charade. But still, she fell, her mouth beginning to move in tiny sobs. But it wasn't her pain. She was crying for him, for his burden, his sickness. The sickness she had just felt deep inside her, the one that bloomed when Naminé had decided to play priest, and exorcise the demon called Vanitas.

He felt his vision begin to obscure at the edges, and his body stirred as he was picked up, weighing in a man's arms like a small child. The man felt no fear, but sadness and guilt washed over the boy as he slumped, giving into whatever darkness awaited him.

The silence in the hallway was thick, and utterly eerie. Xion twitched, but no one made a move to help her up. They were to afraid to move. The man watched them, Vanitas's limp body sinking deep in his arms, one arm under the crook of his legs, the other keeping his neck from lolling back. Aqua leaned back against Terra, real, true fear beginning to creep up her spine. He held her waist a little tighter, looking warily at the man.

Ven was stand shakily by Hope, who had Roxas's arm slung over his shoulder. He kept glancing at Xion, like he really wanted to help her to her feet, but he was too afraid to. Roxas looked tired, and confused, and he didn't seem to know what exactly was going on. Hope seemed to be waiting for the man to leave his eyes hardened to an almost hostile extent as he gazed at him. Lightning seemed to be torn on whether or not she should fight the man, her hand faltering just above her waist, as if she meant to grab the hilt of a blade, but found there was nothing there.

The man stared around at the faces of the children (and one adult), his own face shadowed a bit in the dimness of the hallway. Vanitas's face, however, could be seen quite well, and it let off a shine of innocence that would never cross the boy's face while conscious. Aqua fidgeted, something tugging at her stomach. Something wasn't right. And she knew the rest of them could feel it too.

"What's going on?" Her voice sounded tense, and broken up. "Who are you?"

The man's gaze turned to her, and stopped there. His eyes were an unnerving shade of orange, glowing softly in the light like two identical little suns. Aqua swallowed uneasily, feeling discouraged.

"Me?" The man's voice was low, rumbling in a slow, sophisticated accent. "I am Ansem the Wise, dear child. May I inquire your name?"

Aqua's defensive barriers rose immediately, and she looked at him with a strongly cautious stare. "Aqua," she said slowly. "What are you doing with Vanitas? What happened to him? What's wrong with Xion?"

The man, Ansem the Wise, seemed to ponder over possible answers to these questions. His lips creased as he pressed them against each other into a very thin line. "Vanitas…" he said, the name sounding foreign, and almost grotesque on his tongue. "Vanitas… is very sick. I have to take him to be treated."

"What?" It was Ven this time. He was edging closer to Xion's side, his eyes flickering to Vanitas. The stark innocence of his face ripped a bandage off mental wounds, letting a few memories pour out.

"_Oooh, man! You're fast! Really, really fast. Wowie."_

"_Kairi, meet Ven! He's uber fast!"_

"_Hiya. I'm Sora!"_

Sora…

"Vanitas is sick," Ansem repeated, his orange eyes aglow with something like sadness. "Please don't make me go farther into the matter."

"What's _wrong_ with him?" Aqua asked, gritting her teeth. What was wrong with _her_? What had just happened?

"He is _ill_, Miss Aqua." Ansem turned to her. "Gravely, gravely ill. Correct, Xion?"

All attention turned to the dark haired girl. She had pulled herself up into a slump, her body racking with absolute terror. She swallowed, and covered her face with her hands. She nodded slowly, numbly.

Aqua glowered, and pushed herself away from Terra. "What's wrong with him, huh?" Her voice held a dangerous tone, like she was close to striking the man. "Did something go wrong? Is he not useful to you people anymore?"

Ansem's eyes widened, making it obvious Aqua had some things right. Then, they softened considerably. "Miss Aqua," he said, sighing. "This boy isn't well. And… yes, I suppose it's my fault, in a way. But I cannot do anything about this. I'm truly sorry if this affects you, but I never expected him to ever truly make a friend."

Aqua's eyes narrowed, her lips twisted into a long grimace. "Well why not?" She folded her arms across her chest, and shook her head. "He's a human being too. Just because he's a little different doesn't mean he doesn't have the right to make friends!"

Ansem the Wise's eyes widened at her. He was frozen for a few moments, the corridor filling with an unnatural and unearthly silence.

And then he laughed.

The man threw his head back, his shoulder length, perfectly groomed blond hair moving ever so slightly as it was disturbed from its docile state. Aqua took a large step back, her shoulder brushing against Terra's chest as the deep, rumbling chuckle echoed along the hall, filling their ears with its mirthless existence. Hope actually gave a tiny squeak, his eyes darting away from the man as his laugh settled deep into the stomachs of those around him.

"You think," Ansem said, his voice still forming a rather small but powerful chuckle, "that this boy is only a _little different_. My dear, do you have any idea whatsoever on his origin? Who he is, or how he came to be?" The man's eyes flashed with a dull, and empty seriousness.

Aqua's anger came back full force, and her fists clenched tightly at her side as she tried to keep it peaceful. "Why should I care?" she asked, gritting her teeth in utter frustration. "All I need to know is that he's a human being, and that's good enough for me."

"It's very sweet of you to call him human," Ansem said, his voice softening. "But he is really anything but."

"That's not nice." Ven had spoken up, his face holding something very close to anger. "You shouldn't talk about people like that. If Aqua believes he's human, then he's human."

"You do not understand." Ansem sighed, and closed his eyes. "And I have no time to explain it."

"Is it that bad?" Hope asked, his eyes darting to the pale face of Vanitas. "He just kind of looks like he's sleeping…"

"Not quite, I'm afraid." Ansem turned around, and Vanitas's head managed to loll back. Aqua stared at him, feeling suddenly helpless. Why was she arguing? If Vanitas was actually sick…

But why did she _care_? It was so odd, feeling responsible for Vanitas, if not really, truly caring for his health. But now that she knew more about him… she felt even more obligated to pity him. His life was absolutely awful, and he was just as bad. But at least he had a reason.

She stepped forward, trying to think of a way to stop Ansem from taking Vanitas. But she didn't know how to say it. Could his illness be something she could cure? Could she even cure illnesses? Could Aerith? Was Vanitas even ill?

She swallowed as Ansem the Wise disappeared down the hallway. The hall fell into that distinct eerie silence, no sounds from the party that was occurring not far from their spot invading the bubble of stillness. Ven moved first, pulling Xion to her feet. She was shaking terribly, her fingers scratching at her eyes in distress.

Terra put a hand on Aqua's shoulder. She turned to him, her eyes straying from his face.

"I was supposed to go with him," she said quietly, looking down the hall. "Did you know that?"

Terra stood still, his silence making her feel worse about the situation. Slowly, he nodded. "I figured it out eventually. Assumed it for a while."

She tilted her head to the side, her eyes still avoiding his face. "Are you angry?" she asked, rubbing her cheek absently, trying to figure out why it hurt. What _had_ happened to her? She couldn't remember.

"Well, yeah." Aqua's gaze finally fell on his face. She felt something twist inside her stomach, violently lurching to the side. He looked strangely impassive. The usual blank expression that Terra wore was there, never faltering to show his true anger. "But… whatever. If you have your reasons, then…" he coughed a little, and glanced up at the ceiling, his mask still completely solid. "It's good enough for me, I guess."

Aqua stared at him, her mouth dropping open a little. "You…" she murmured, averting her eyes. "You'd accept it? Just like that?"

Terra snorted. A small, almost sad smile appeared on his face, and the mask shattered. The smile made the knot that had twisted up inside her unravel, and a surge of something unfamiliar ran through her. "Aqua, I know you." He gave her a long look, his deep blue gaze pulling her own back to it. "And if you believe in Vanitas, then I can too."

She stared at him. Her eyes began to water a little, and she shook her head. "You…" she gave a tiny laugh that sounded more like a sob, and she slowly wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I missed you so much, you know that?" she whispered into his neck.

Terra stood there for a moment. He shook his head, his own arms hooking around her waist hesitantly. "Aqua…" he said, his voice aching with a calmness, that held an undertone of sadness. He bent his head down, his nose burying itself in her hair as his lips brushed her ear. "I've been here the whole time."

* * *

It was cold. Wet. Very wet. Sheets of rain slapped against the pavement, the taste almost bitter on the tongue. It smelled like outside. But how could that be? What had he been doing before? Why was it raining?

He saw no color around him. Only gray, and more gray. The rain blurred out any other hue. It simply washed it all away in a world of monochrome. But he could _smell_ grass. The wetness of the dirt tickled his nose, its scent not exactly beautiful, but strangely interesting. He didn't mind it.

He didn't mind… this. He didn't mind it at all. In fact, he felt… very nostalgic. Like something inside him knew this. This strange world of gray, with the walls of rain keeping him locked in place even though he _knew _there was so much to explore. But the rain felt nice. It was cold, taking to his face with a refreshing burst of life. Like he had been very, very warm before, and the rain was cooling him down. But he had not been warm. In fact, he was very cold. But somehow every drop made the world burst. Pulse. The sheets wavered.

But where was he? He didn't recognize the place at all. Not that he could see it. It seemed so familiar… like some little blurry dream he had had ages ago that had only just come back to him. There was a fuzzy picture of this situation in his mind, but he wasn't sure how it was there, or why. It was happening though. It felt real. So how could it be a dream?

He began to move. He didn't know why, but it just felt like the right time. Move. That was all. So he walked, his clothes already soaked through, and his shoes squeaking shrilly in protest. His hair bobbed against gravity as the rain tried to quash it completely. His skin prickled a bit as the rain made contact with it.

And as he moved more quickly against the drumming rain, he felt the urge to run. Not in a frightened, panicked way. No, he just felt the swelling urge to dash through the rain, cutting the sheets up. So he gave into the urge, and started forward, his feet splashing against puddles, and the tough concrete. He ran, the rain slamming full force into his face, blinding him completely in gray. He saw nothing, and his eyes stung with the water that slapped against them.

He halted. He had reached his destination.

She was a little blurry. Wavering a bit in the rain, with her knees tucking to her chest, and her head buried in her arms. She was soaked as well, but it was odd. As he edged closer, her noticed her feet. They were bare, splattered a little brown. The brown splatter ran up her legs, as the rivulets ran brown down her legs. She was shuddering, or maybe racking with sobs. He couldn't tell. He couldn't hear her, but she was a quiet thing anyway.

Her dress was splattered with brown as well. All around the hem, and up the side, brown splatters, and splotches appeared. He stared at her, almost blankly, waiting for her to acknowledge his presence.

When she didn't, he sat down next to her. He found that she was not sobbing. She was just cold.

"Witchy?" He shook her shoulder. Very slowly, she peeked at him from over her arms. Her eyes were a sharp sting of color in a sea of gray. "Hey. Where are we?"

She said nothing. She only stared. Her hair stuck to her face, a strange grayish white in the grayscale of it all. Her skin was almost completely white. Her lips were a light gray. Her cheeks were faintly gray. Grayness all over, and yet he could see clearly the deep brown of the mud that caked her feet and legs, and the bright pools of blue that watched him over off-white skin.

"Witch?" He tilted his head. "Naminé?"

Her name seemed to trigger her voice. "Why are you here?" she asked, her voice fluttering off, and wavering back in, like it was on a different frequency than his.

He shrugged. "Same reason you are?" He looked around, but the scenery hadn't changed much. "Not the prettiest place."

"Vanitas…" she said, her voice hitching. He couldn't tell if it was because she was beginning to cry, or if she was just faltering again. "Don't you know?"

"Know?" Vanitas asked, his eyebrows furrowing. "Sorry, I'm confused here. Don't know anything. Care to enlighten?"

Her eyes drooped, and Vanitas watched as a bit of water began to pool over her eyes, and get lost in the rain. She shook her head, her mouth opening, and closing, then opening again.

"Vanitas, it's over." She whispered this. The noise, the pitter-patter of rain… it ceased. Like it wanted to listen too. "It's over, all of it. This is it."

He froze, thoughts processing. Over? Over. Over. Over. Over. It was over.

"Over," he said, testing the word on his tongue. It tasted like defeat. "What was this all for then?"

"This?" she asked, her voice cracking miserably.

"The party," Vanitas said, a few memories fluttering around at the top of his brain. "Making me take Aqua. What a sham."

"I suppose… he just wanted to play with you…" A noise escaped her lips, something similar to a sob.

Vanitas slumped. She was right. She was right. She was right.

It was all over now.

* * *

_Huhh? Whut? What's going on here, hmmm?_

_... *Shrug* Nothing to say, honestly. I do like this chapter. =D Don't question it. Don't question the weirdness of what happened to Aqua, because... well, it really isn't all that important. *Tilts head* There IS an explanation. But you'll just have to wait._

_Sooo... yeah. I'm too tired to rant. Forgive me. *Bows*_

_Next chapter is a relief from all this seriousness, actually. XD Well, in a weird... kinda serious way. Like, when I was writing, I didn't feel like being serious, so it kinda... lacks. Ugh. I like this chapte better. Meh._

_WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THE SERVER? WHAT. WHAT. WHAT. WHAT. WHAT. *Starts to bite her fingers* FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU- I'm going to KILL whoever isn't fixing this. KILL. _

_Nevermind. ^.^ Cori Shadowfang, YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER. Thank you. I would've never figured out how to update this. XD I'm not smart enough to stop clicking the 'edit' button like a freaking maniac, and change a word in the web adress. *Head desk* _

_Next chapter: Optimism Wins for Once (See? Being half asleep makes me funny. :P)_


	55. Optimism Wins for Once

**White Knight: Fifty Five :Optimism Wins for Once**

Ven stood still for a moment. The hallway felt strange, and something like paranoia crept up his spine. He had a really bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. A really, really bad feeling.

He rubbed his neck, and looked to Xion. She was still shaken up from whatever had happened to her. Her face had turned strangely pale, and Ven could hear her whimpering faintly.

"Okay," he murmured. He turned slowly, inching away from the others. "Okay."

"Ven?" Hope asked, his eyes widening a bit. Roxas glance up as well, squinting at his brother.

Ven said nothing. He stared down the hall, blinking away the stray light from a lantern. Then, he broke out into a run. There were a few shouts of surprise, as if they hadn't expected him to take off. How stupid. The only reason why they had been in the hallway in the first place was because he had been running.

He bounded up the stairs, hearing the familiar clap of footsteps behind him. They didn't have to follow him. Why did they choose to? Well it didn't matter right now. No, not at all.

He continued his speedy trek up the stairs, feeling the touch of adrenaline spiking along his legs, up into his torso. He felt the nostalgia creeping along at his side, with giggles attached with words of encouragement. Maybe this was why he loved to run. Because it made him feel so at home, so much like he belonged. Fleeing from the world, but still staying inside its warm embrace. It just didn't want to let him go.

But still, he wasn't free of it all. He wondered if he would ever be free. He had always had a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach, that things were awful, and that everyone around him suffered because of it. So he ignored the dreadfulness of the world, and smiled. That was what you had to do, right? Despite all odds, if you're happy, you can make someone else happy. And that was what really mattered. There was no more room for frowns in a world like this.

But now… now the world was catching up to him. That warmth he had always felt from it turn cold, and it washed him over with dread. The nostalgia left him, and he felt very alone, and very scared. The fear was immense, bubbling in his stomach in preparation to burst. But the fear wasn't for himself. No, no. He was simply afraid of the inevitable. Afraid of what he would find when he opened the door that waited for him, only a few feet away.

Because, when he burst into the room, he found nothing. Not the shine of bright blue eyes, or grace of a true, radiant smile, or the ring-a-bell laugh that accompanied a soft, joy filled voice.

Nothing. Just a blank room, filled with an empty void. A harsh change in atmosphere that made the room feel like an iceberg from the second he stepped into it. Like it had the first time he ever entered, with Aqua's kind words to explain that he'd be fine, that Naminé wouldn't hurt him. It was… awful.

Aqua caught up to him first. Despite having just been possessed by some… _thing_, she seemed absolutely fine. And Ven didn't want to think about it anyway. He didn't want to know what had happened to her to make her so scary. But then, she hadn't acted much different from Naminé on a bad day. Not that Naminé had ever tried to strangle him. It was new. Strange.

Aqua caught his arm, staring at him with wide eyes. She understood his feeling of stress, the utter hopelessness that was beginning to crash down on his body. He had a bad, bad feeling deep in his stomach. It festered beneath the fear, and crept into his chest. Suddenly everything just felt gone. Done. He didn't want to keep moving. He didn't want to keep looking out of fear of what he would find. Had the stars gone out? Had the sun stopped shining? Would the world end today, because it felt like it would.

"Ven…" Aqua whispered, her eyes sweeping the room quickly. She hadn't been in it in a while. Not since she healed Naminé a month or two before hand. It felt like so much longer. "This…"

"She…" He bowed his head, taking a deep breath. "She… I thought maybe she came in here. But…" He shook his arm from her grasp, and stumbled back against a wall. "I don't feel good…" he muttered, the fear and anxiety sloshing around inside his stomach, dancing around each other in a sort of rhythm.

"Ven," Aqua said, looking toward the door as Terra caught up, Lightning right behind him. Xion was on her back, resting her head on her shoulder. Hope and Roxas tumbled in after them, looking disgruntled.

"Ven?" Terra asked, bending down in front of his younger friend. Ven shook his head, rubbing his eyes.

"Something's wrong…" he muttered. "Really, really wrong. Like… like…"

"Like the entire world is screaming…" Aqua murmured, her eyes dropping.

Ven peered at her through his fingers. His lips trembled a little, and he nodded.

"Like it's thrumming," Roxas cut in distantly, his arm still slung around Hope's shoulder. Aqua looked at him, and tilted her head.

"Roxas?" she asked, her lips tugging into a frown.

"Yeah?"

"How did you get here?" Her voice held the lightest bit of humor, her eyebrows raising as she recognized the boy for the first time.

Roxas looked at her for a small moment, before he laughed. Shaking his head, he smiled, "It's a… little bit of a long story."

Aqua watched him with curious eyes, before she smiled gently. "Alright," she said, a laugh at the edge of her tone, "fair enough."

Ven took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts together. His brain felt completely scrambled as the oppressive air around them tightened its grip. He was scared. He knew that something bad was happening, but he couldn't understand _what_. It was awful, and stifling, and he just couldn't seem to _think_.

"Ventus."

Ven looked up, noting the dull hue Xion's eyes had taken on. Compared to their usual sharp quality, it was… strange. A little unnatural, even. They were too soft. Too empty. She watched him with a sense of loss, like she was trying to focus, but she couldn't. Ven felt suddenly very bad for the girl. Maybe he shouldn't have been mad at her for so long. Maybe he should've talked to her before, made friends with her. Maybe he should've helped Naminé make up with her. Maybe…

'Maybe' wouldn't do anything. He knew that.

"Xion?" he asked slowly, watching her carefully.

She smiled slightly, twisting her head so her chin rested on Lightning's shoulder. "I… wish I could help you. With… with Naminé, I mean."

Ven looked at her. Very slowly he stood up, and shook his head. "No. It's… you couldn't do much anyway."

Her eyes drooped. "No. I suppose not."

Ven looked away. He was… starting to get very, very afraid of what could've happened to Naminé. He bowed his head again, trudging toward the girl's bed and collapsing onto it.

"Waaah," he moaned aloud. "Life's sucky."

He expected a giggle or two, but none came. They simply watched him, maybe pitying him, maybe just unable to produce words. Still, it wasn't helping. Not at all.

"We can look for her."

Ven shot up, staring blankly at Lightning. Everyone seemed to be giving her shocked stares, really. Xion, at her shoulder, watched her with wide eyes, while Terra simply gaped beside a slightly disturbed looking Aqua. Hope seemed to be a little proud and shocked, while Roxas seemed… confused, maybe.

Lightning slid Xion off her back, and the girl steadied herself hastily, her eyes darting around the room. Lightning folded her arms across her chest, and walked toward the window.

"I think we might as well. It's not safe for a girl to wander around alone, especially it being her. She can't defend herself whatsoever, and her state of mind is clearly lacking."

Ven watched her, his mouth dropping open. "Really?" he asked his eyes beginning to brighten tremendously. "You'd help look for her, Lightning?"

Lightning looked at him incredulously. "Of course," she said, her eyebrows furrowing. "I'm not heartless, you know. I do like Naminé, and it wouldn't be fair for something to happen to her."

Ven's arms shot into the air as he jumped from the bed. "Yay!" he cried, jumping Lightning as he hugged her. "Thank you!"

This action did stir laughter from those behind them, and they began to file deeper into the room. Roxas let go of Hope, and Xion peered at the scissors stuck in the wall with interest, while others edged away from it.

"We'll all help!" Hope shouted, smiling a little. "Naminé's our friend too, right?"

Ven turned to him, a grin sliding easily over his face. His mood shifted completely, but there was still a fog of anxiety that laid overhead. Still, he was happy.

Terra smiled a little, and nodded. "I think we can all contribute something into finding her. She can't have gotten far, so we should probably look around the mansion. If she doesn't show up, we can check the town."

"Too conspicuous," Lightning said, shaking her head. "Xehanort is here. He'll notice a group like us wandering the mansion. Especially when we should be at the party."

"What about going into town?" Roxas suggested, resting against the window as Xion began to fiddle with the scissors stuck in the wall. "A group could stay in the mansion and look for her, and then another group can search the area outside."

"Can't go into town," Terra said bitterly. "This is a special event. We're not supposed to be wandering the streets. A guard would catch us and drag us back."

Lightning and Hope nodded in agreement, as if they had seen this happen more than once. Aqua frowned, glancing at Xion as she shook the scissors free from the wall. She seemed to be a little lost.

"The group idea sounds good," Aqua said, tearing her eyes from Xion. "I'd go with that. But since we can't go into town, we should search the area outside, at least. The grounds, and the forest. The guards will probably be heavy around the front of the mansion, but sneaking into the forest should be easy." She tilted her head at Ven. "Naminé's missing?'

Ven had actually forgotten that she hadn't been at the party, and she hadn't seen Naminé go crazy. He nodded, and sighed. "She… had a bit of a fit, and then she ran off. We went after her, but… we found you instead."

Aqua looked away. "I see…" she murmured.

"The groups should be split evenly between fighters and non-fighters," Hope said, scratching his head. "Uh… just in case, I guess."

"It's a good idea." Lightning nodded. "I agree."

"Yeah, that seems to be the best bet," Terra said, looking to Aqua. "Agreed?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Terra and I will be in separate groups," Lightning said, pursing her lips. "We're the best."

"You don't have a weapon, Miss Lightning," Aqua pointed out.

Lightning seemed too stiffen at this. Her eyes flickered to Aqua, and she frowned rather deeply. She said nothing, however.

"Lightning can fight without a weapon," Hope said, saving the woman. "Having one would probably straighten the odds a little, but she can fight pretty well without one anyway."

At this, Lightning shot a look to Hope, something like a thank you. Terra smiled a little, and nodded. "It's probably best if you lead a group, Light." Terra smirked, earning him a glare.

"I don't understand why you look so smug," Lightning scoffed, her eyes rolling. Terra just smiled and shook his head.

"Aqua can come with me. Ven too. Xion?" His gaze flickered to the black haired girl. "Hope?"

"I'll go with Light." Hope smiled a little. "I have my boomerang, so I should be fine."

"I can go with Lightning…" Xion said slowly. "But I… I'm not very good. At fighting, I mean."

"Don't worry about it." Lightning waved her off. "Just duck if you need to."

Xion's eyes went wide for a moment. "Oh…" she murmured. "Alright."

"Roxas, I think you should go with Lightning," Terra said looking toward the door.

"Huh?" Roxas and Ven asked in unison, looking incredulously at Terra.

"You can wield a Keyblade." Terra sighed, and started toward the door. "They need your help more than we do."

"Of course," Lightning said dryly. "And I suppose we'll be the ones outside?"

"Well, we definitely know the castle better," Terra said, looking over his shoulder. "But if you want to wander around here, give it a shot."

Lightning stared at him for a few moments, before sighing, and walking past him. Hope followed, waving back at Ven. Xion was next, hurrying to catch up to Hope, glancing back only once, before disappearing. Roxas stayed behind for a few moments, standing still. Then he began to start forward.

"Wait, you have a Keyblade?" Ven asked, his reaction rather delayed. Roxas blinked slowly, and looked at him. He smiled, and laughed.

"Yeah," he said smacking his brother gently on the arm. "You do too. I guess you don't remember, though." And with this, he left the room. Maybe because he didn't want to fall behind, or maybe because he didn't want to see Ven's reaction.

It was a tad priceless.

"Say _what_, Roxas?" Ven shouted.

Aqua giggled a little, not all that surprised. Terra smiled slightly, but said nothing.

The trio stood in the room silently. Maybe they were waiting for someone else to make a move. Maybe not. Maybe they just didn't know what to say.

Finally Ven sighed, running a hand through his hair. He smiled a little, his eyes drooping. "It's… been a little while since we were alone like this."

"Yes," Aqua agreed, her shoulders slumping. "It has."

"I mean, unless you count when Vanitas went spazztastic," Terra said thoughtfully. This made his companions laugh. He felt a little bit of triumph squirm into his stomach.

"I've missed this…" Aqua murmured, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears. "I… I've missed everything. How things used to be, how we could always talk to each other…" She looked away. "We don't tell each other anything anymore."

Terra and Ven looked at each other, then away. It was true. They never really spoke at all. It was… awful, to say the least.

"No," Terra said after a short period of silence. "We don't talk at all, do we?"

Aqua watched him, her eyes drooping in sadness. Ven shook his head, and gave a small, almost fake laugh. "Come on, guys!" He grinned, punching Terra playfully. "We've gotta… we've gotta get over this stuff, and be happy again. Let's tell each other everything from now on, okay?"

Aqua straightened, and smiled, while Terra shook his head, chuckling slightly. "Sure, Ven," he said, "whatever ever say."

"And since we're being happy, we might as well get going. Before Naminé gets into trouble, right? She's really good at it, you know…"

Aqua nodded, beaming at the younger boy. "You're right, Ven." She giggled, and shook her head. "We have to be optimistic. Now more than ever."

"Thank you!" Ven clapped, and threw his arms out spread eagle, as if he were introducing something insanely important. "Then we're off? Right?"

"Yeah." Terra nodded, cracking a grin. "We're off."

"Sweetness!" Ven cried, spinning around. He ran out the door before the duo could say another word. Terra chuckled again, and started forward. But Aqua stopped him, grabbing his hand.

"Terra…" she glanced toward the door, expecting Ven to appear. When he didn't, she continued. "Terra, Ven's right. We need to be completely honest with each other."

Terra stared at her, his lips tugging into a frown. "Alright," he said, turning to her. "But the only secret I'm keeping is the one I've been keeping from Ven for… well, for as long as we've known him. I seriously don't intend on telling him that, though."

Aqua looked away from his face, the depths of his eyes a little too much for her to handle. "That… that one we can let go. Ven doesn't need to know about something like that."

Terra nodded slowly, watching her very carefully. "Yeah. Right. So what's got you all tense?"

Aqua flinched, and gave a small, toneless laugh. "Right," she muttered. "I… um… just haven't told you about… stuff."

"Is now the best time to tell me about stuff?" Terra asked raising an eyebrow. "Because, you know, I love you and all, but Naminé is insane. Insane, and looking for trouble. It's not the best combination."

Aqua flushed. She took a deep breath, and exhaled, earning her a worried look from the older boy. "What is it?" he asked, grabbing her other hand. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

She bit her lower lip, and closed her eyes. "It's not… awful, but… I just…"

"Just…?" Terra seemed to be on edge, every possible cliché secret running through his head.

"I… Vanitas… kissed me…" she said slowly, her eyes still closed in fear of what his expression would be. "A few times."

After a few moments of silence, she opened her eyes. She didn't know what to expect, but honestly… did he have to grin?

"What's with that face?" Aqua asked, her eyes widening. "What the hell, Terra?"

"Oh," he laughed, shaking his head. "God, I'm just glad it's not something worse. Well, that's still kinda… you know, eh, but it could be way worse, so I'm pretty damn happy."

"Really?" Aqua gaped, her eyes widening. "But… I mean…"

"Look, you're a teenager, Aqua." Terra looked up at the ceiling. "You can kiss whoever you want to. That's the way it works. There aren't any rules." Terra ruffled his hair, and smiled a little. "But the point is, I don't have the right to care if he kissed you. Unless, you know, he sexually harassed you as well. Then I can beat his scrawny ass to a pulp."

Aqua stared at him, a tiny smile appearing on her lips. He was crazy. Absolutely freaking crazy. "Thank you, Terra," she whispered, looking down.

"Sure thing." He chuckled, slipping his hand from hers, and tucking it under her chin. She blinked as he gently pulled it up, connecting their lips for a few seconds, before he pulled back. She looked a little dazed, like she hadn't expected it to happen.

"It does bother me a little bit though," he smiled slightly before turning, and leaving the room.

* * *

_Happy chapter! Whoo! Suck up the happiness, because I dunno when it's coming back._

_So I remember when I kept getting asked when Aqua was going to tell Terra about her weird relationship with Vanitas. And I kept trying to think of a reaction that wouldn't be... well the expected one. People expected him to be mad, right? Well... no mad Terra._

_Also, who watches FMA here? DID YOU WATCH EPISODE 41 DUBBED? AAAAAAAAAH! Vic, Vic, VIC. Your voice acting is like the sunshine. If I wasn't such a heartless person I would've cried. FMA:B is like voice acting at its finest. Seriously. I even like Mei's voice now! It was annoying at first, but wow, the girl got better! And... *Dies* So, for all of my readers who do not watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, go look it up. It's the best thing... like, ever. FMA, KH, and Harry Potter. My favorite fandoms. They're all so different from each other, too..._

_Oh, and I'm going to warn you now, next chapter is confuzzling as hell. Writing it was like... eh. I had no clue what I was doing. I... like it, but... _

_Well, you'll see when you read it. It wasn't my best work, but it's not awful. _

_Next Chapter: Limbo_


	56. Limbo

**White Knight: Fifty Six :Limbo**

It was extravagant, as usual. In fact, the whole room seemed to emanate cheer. It was so odd to have this kind of festive air to a Dark Region event. Everyone knew something was off. It was in the air. It could be tasted, fresh on the tongue. Trouble brewed around them, and yet they acted oblivious. They laughed, and danced, and smiled, and ate, and celebrated a birthday. A coming of age.

And still, when the trio entered the ballroom, Aqua seemed to get a little stiff. Ven's expression turned from optimistic to uneasy in a disturbing quickness. But Terra. Terra only felt a small shift in the atmosphere. No one else though. No one noticed them walk in, or felt the presence of something ungodly. And if they did, they hid it. They didn't want to be the odd ones out.

So Terra quickly ushered his friends from the doorway, noting the way they cautiously stepped forward. They knew better than he. They knew something was drastically off. They didn't hide it. Maybe they couldn't.

"Aqua!"

Aqua looked up, her eyes widening as Aerith rushed up to her, beaming. Terra frowned a little at the girl's cheeriness, before giving her a very tight smile. She smiled back at him with no hurt in her features. He supposed she just didn't care, or didn't notice.

"Oh, hello, Terra," she said, tilting her head. Her hair rustled a bit. "Ven. It's nice to see you two again."

"Hi, Aerith," Ven said weakly, his eyebrows furrowing. He seemed to be deep in thought.

Aerith looked at him. She pursed her lips, and waggled her finger in front of his face. "Oh, weren't you always the happy one?" she asked, her startling green eyes widening as she addressed the blond boy. "Come on, smile!"

Ven blinked, and smiled slightly. But Terra knew there was something holding the smile back. And he was beginning to feel it more. In the pit of his stomach, it began to tremble. That darkness he had always suppressed was rising, churning. Terra closed his eyes, and listened.

Hush… hush…

_Hush… hush…_

He swallowed hard. The party sounds were beginning to melt away. He reached out and blindly grappled for Aqua's hand. He found it quickly, for she had been right next to him. She felt cold. Deathly cold. Terra then reached out to his left, where he knew Ven was standing. He found the boy's hand, and grasped it tightly, firmly in his own. Ven's was the same. Cold. Icy, even.

And then there were footsteps. Quiet thumps that managed to echo in the recesses of his mind. He listened, and squeezed his friends' hands tighter. He wondered just who was making the sound, and why he could hear them so…

Well, it was too late to dwell. The doors to the dance hall opened, and the music actually stopped. Terra took a deep breath, his senses tuning back into the party around him. Aqua began to fidget beside him, like she was shifting her footing. Maybe backing away. Terra opened his eyes, and met her gaze. Something, fear, maybe, resided deep in the depths of hers.

"Aqua?" he whispered, shaking her hand slightly, a little worriedly. "What's wrong?"

She stared at him, and shook her head. "I…" she murmured back. "I… I'm alright, never mind."

Terra gave her a look. He shook his head as well, and looked to Aerith. She was looking past him, frowning deeply. Terra gave Aqua another look, one filled with doubt, and uncertainty. He leaned down, his mouth brushing slightly against her ear.

"Please don't lie to me, Aqua."

She stiffened. Ven's hand tightened around Terra's a sign for him to pull back. He did, and looked toward the younger boy, whose face showed signs of worry, distress, and slight confusion. He looked at Terra, then he turned his head to the side. Terra blinked, and did the same.

Sauntering his way into the party, a light spring in his step, was Riku. Riku, with his strange silver hair, and pale skin, and… he was wearing a cutoff. In the winter, no less. What had he done? Ripped the sleeves off his tuxedo? What…

Aqua made a tiny noise beside him. A whimper, or a sigh. He didn't notice. He was too busy staring at his cousin. What on Earth. Really, the boy was so weird, it made him wonder…

He stepped forward, as Riku passed him, but froze immediately. A sense of fear washed over him. It crept up his spine, and took root deep inside his stomach. He could feel Aqua's hand begin to quiver beneath his own. She felt it as well. Probably more than he had. Something… something…

"Something's wrong," Terra muttered, pulling Ven to his side. Aqua shuddered, and nodded.

"Terra," she whispered, "do you feel that?"

Terra nodded. He looked to Ven. He nodded as well. "I think everyone feels it," Ven said, scratching his cheek. "I think…"

"She's not here," Aqua said quickly, her head shooting up. "Let's go. Now."

"Aqua?" Terra asked, staring at her blankly. She looked back at him, her eyes flashing in warning.

"Come on," she muttered, tugging on his hand. "We've got to go. Now. Please."

Terra watched her as she tried vainly to pull him. After a few moments he gave in, and let her drag him toward the door. "Aqua…"

"Trust me," she hissed through her teeth. "I… there's something…"

"Going somewhere?" a haughty, yet familiar voice drawled. It paused, and then spat out awkwardly, "Cousin."

Terra flinched. He spun around to look at Riku, his eyebrows furrowing. "Yes, actually." Terra gave the boy a once over, noting how his color scheme seemed to consist of black, red, and silver. "I've never been one for parties, see. Much rather get away from them. Enjoy some fresh air. But you know that." Terra's back teeth grinded together as he thought deeply about what was happening, Riku's behavior. It didn't add up.

"Of course," Riku said smoothly, a smirk rising to his lips. "Yes. That's right. You're one for nature, aren't you?"

"Yep." Terra flicked the boy a thumbs up before turning, Ven and Aqua already edging closer to the door. Aqua looked close to being sick now, her face stricken pale.

"Wait a minute, Terra." Riku snapped his fingers. Terra's irritation for him increased greatly, and he spun on his heel to glare. Riku smiled wider, and Terra's eyebrows rose.

"Terra, I'm only curious on who gave you permission to leave."

Oh, no. No he did _not_.

"I don't need permission," Terra said with a hint of faux sweetness. "Never have. Parties don't interest me, remember? I've done my part, showing up, so keep your pants on." His words were light, playful even, but he slipped a dark undertone into it. His eyes were blank, humorless.

Riku's eyes were shadowed by his hair, but still, Terra knew they were gleaming. Satisfaction hung in the air as if Riku had known Terra was going to say this. Like he was betting on it.

"It's silly." He laughed a little, but the sound was stale. "You are so wrong. Off course. You're very blind, aren't you?"

"Blind?" Terra rolled his eyes. "You know what, Riku? Screw you."

And with that, he left, Ven and Aqua flanking his sides. They looked at him, awe shining in Ven's eyes while Aqua rubbed the bridge of her nose, her face paling even more, if that was possible. He didn't stop when they left the party. No, they kept walking until Aqua broke away from him to puke in a plant. He then stopped to think, the slim spike of anger that had driven his words long gone.

"What the hell?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "What was that? Riku was acting like a total punk."

"He looked like a jerk," Ven muttered, leaning against a wall.

"Same thing, in some ways."

"What's a punk?" Ven asked, blinking slowly.

Terra looked at him, before laughing uneasily. "It's just an mean word. Don't use it."

Ven rose an eyebrow, making a tiny face that suggested he didn't understand. Terra shook his head, and turned his attention to Aqua. She was supporting herself against the opposite wall, her eyes looking dull, unfocused. Terra sighed and walked toward her, bending down to gently rub her back. She looked up at him, startled.

"Terra…" she murmured, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Terra didn't respond. He simply continued to slowly rub circles around her back, his fingers brushing her skin every now and again. He didn't have anything to say. Or maybe he just didn't want to say anything.

"Terra… I'm fine…"

"Don't lie." He looked at her sharply. "I'm serious. Don't lie to me."

She stared at him, her mouth dropping open in a slight gape. He continued to glare at her steadily, as if he could empower her to do anything by just a simple look.

"I'm sorry," she blurted, her voice hoarse, weak.

"Don't be," Terra said, his own voice devoid of emotion. "Just don't lie to me."

"I'm sorry," she repeated, glancing away from his face.

"You don't have to…" Terra trailed off and groaned. "You know what? Never mind."

The girl rubbed her arms, probably chilled from throwing up. Terra watched as she took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes.

"What's up?" Ven asked, finally joining them. He sat down in front of Terra, peering at Aqua worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," she sighed. "Really. It was just a headache. But…"

"But?" Terra asked, blinking down at her. "But? But what?"

"But…" She chewed worriedly on her lip. "I was just thinking… about other parties. Other Riku parties. Whenever Riku came in…" Her face began to contort in confusion. "I mean… he… wasn't there…"

"Who?" Ven asked, his eyes widening. But Terra caught on. His eyes widened, and he felt the familiar trickle of suspicion, and maybe fear appear in his stomach.

"I see what you're saying." Terra brushed his hair from his face, gritting his teeth in frustration. "I don't even want to think…"

"What?" Ven cried, jumping toward Terra, shaking his arms furiously. "Who?"

"Master Xehanort," Aqua said quietly, "was not at the party."

* * *

They were drenched by now. Completely and totally soaked to the bone. She seemed to be cold, but he didn't notice. He was too deep in thought. The rain seemed to invoke all the things he had always been too afraid to think about. His existence, his emotions.

If only he were… normal. He thought back to the days, not long ago at all, that all he needed to live was to kill. And now… he could barely think about killing without his chest aching.

He looked to his companion. She was shuddering in the rain, her eyes closed. He stared at her, watching the way her hair began to stick to her face, and neck. He sighed, and shook his head. There was nothing he could do now. He didn't feel up to yelling, or teasing, or fighting. He just…

He was just tired. Maybe this was for the best anyway. He didn't want to pretend anymore. He didn't…

His head snapped upward as a loud, monstrous crash resounded through the air. His eyes widened.

This was…

Against the rain a bright, almost iridescent light spider webbed across the sky. Naminé's head instant whipped back, staring at the sky with a small amount of fear flashing in her eyes.

Vanitas stood as another clap of thunder shook the earth, echoing in their ears. This was… stupid. So, so stupid. What was wrong with him? Why was he giving up? This was so freaking _stupid_.

"Get up!" He looked down at the small blonde beside him, a wide, animalistic grin appearing on his face. His teeth glistened in the light of the sky as another dazzling crack appeared against the clouds. She stared at him, real fear crossing her features as she witnessed the sudden change in his thoughts.

"Vanitas…" she said, her eyes going wide. He grabbed her arm, and pulled her to her feet.

"Listen up," he shouted above the thunder. "We're still alive, right? So let's keep going."

Her mouth dropped open in shock as he pulled her forward, lightning flashing faster around them. "Vanitas, that's insane!" she screamed, her bare feet splashing against the puddles that littered the earth beneath them.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Vanitas laughed, looking back at her, his crazed grin flashing in the light. "Did you honestly just call my optimism insane, insane girl? You're hilarious."

She shook her head, her eyes wide and fearful. "Stop!" she shouted as he continued to drag her. "Stop it! Vanitas, don't you understand? It's over! We don't have anywhere to go! This place isn't… it's not real, it's just our imagination! We can't get out of it on our own!"

He spun around the face her, his expression becoming suddenly very serious. "Our imagination?" he asked, his eyebrows raising. The rain pressed on around them in thick layers. He shook his head, and glared up at the lightning that lit up the sky. "That's hard to believe, witchy. How can this be our imagination?"

She stared at him. Her fingers slipped from him, and she stepped back. "You don't know?" She gaped, pushing her sodden hair back, piling it on top of her head. "Vanitas, how could you not…"

"What?" Vanitas asked, snorting. "I'm not a mind reader, smart ass. What the hell is going on? Where are we?"

"This is…" she looked up at the sky, another crash of thunder quaking the earth. "This place is where… we think, I guess. It's like another plane of existence. Our bodies are somewhere else, in a pod, or a tank, or some place safe where they can be observed. Our minds are here."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

She looked at him. There was a clap of thunder, but it ceased abruptly. "Don't you remember?" she asked, her eyes softening. "I remember. How can't you?" The rain let up suddenly, and Vanitas felt relieved that there wasn't so much pressure on him anymore. But now he saw what she meant. This place was… not right. It wasn't like any place he had ever been before.

"The weather," he said shortly, shaking out his hair. She threw her hands up to guard herself from the stray droplets flung from his head.

"I don't know what the weather is about," the girl whispered, her voice weak. "I… I don't know." She squeezed her eyes shut, throwing her face into her hands.

"Stop that!" Vanitas growled, smacking the back of her head lightly. She looked up, startled. "Stop being so idiotic, and think! Is there any way at all to get out?"

She stared at him, her mouth opening slightly. She shook her head. "No… no. Maybe. I– I know this place. This is…" She took a deep breath, her eyes closing. "It's… I…"

"Spit it out!"

She flinched, and turned from him. The thickness of the air made it hard to breathe, and think, but Vanitas didn't care. He just wanted to get out. To live. That was his drive. He was going to do what he wanted for once.

"This is…" Naminé said slowly. "This place… I know it because… I think this is where I… half of me… kind of… the sane part of me… where it's been. Where… I…"

"Wait," Vanitas held up his hand, shaking his head. "Hold up. You're saying this is where psycho Xehanort kept sane little you for the past six or so years?"

"I think." She bit her lip, and looked back at him. "Does that make sense?"

"Uh, no."

"Sorry."

He rolled his eyes, and looked at the sky. Dark gray clouds tumbled away, churning as they went. He wouldn't be surprised if it began to rain again. The taste of it hung in the air, acidic and heavy. He gritted his teeth, and ran his fingers through his hair, trying desperately to figure this place out. It felt so real, he wondered if Naminé could be wrong about it. But…

No. She was right. Something about this air, the way it felt… it wasn't right, but it was so familiar.

"I think I remember," he said finally. She looked at him, her eyes widening.

"Really?" she gasped, spinning around. "You do?"

"A… little. It feels… like… I mean, I feel nostalgic. Really nostalgic." He groaned, and rubbed his head. "What the hell is going on, Nam?"

She tilted her head at him, and smiled slightly. "'Nam'?" She giggled a little, raising her hand to stifle it. Vanitas rolled his eyes at her childishness. "It's a nickname," he said his lips twisting into an almost feral grin. "Unless you prefer being called 'witch'. I don't exactly care what I call you."

"No, I like Nam." Her eyes brightened, and Vanitas found himself glad. She looked so much happier, it was making _him_ happy. Maybe it could be that her emotions affected his. But… he didn't know for sure. He didn't understand anything any more.

But he was beginning to remember. This place. He knew it. He had definitely been here before.

He looked around, finding that he could actually see what the place looked like, now that the rain had ceased. It was… like a park. It _was_ a park. They were standing in the middle of what seemed to be an abandoned playground. It was eerie, and ugly, and somehow disturbingly grotesque. But nothing was wrong with it. Nothing except for chipped gray paint revealing a lighter gray metal, the oldness the stuck to each plaything like glue, and the awful loneliness that clung to the air around them. The swings hanging from the swing set slowly swayed, their chains russet, and their seats cracked. Old, rotten see saws squealed, and thumped back and forth. A small, rusted merry-go-round screeched in protest as it spun lazily, as if a child was standing beside it, trying desperately to push, but the rust wouldn't let it go faster than the appointed speed.

He recognized this. He really did. It was like… something, a faded memory, maybe, from his childhood. But he never had a childhood. So what was this?

"I know this," he said finally, looking to Naminé. "Why?"

She shrugged, and began to massage her temples. "I suppose… I think… we might've been here before. Me and you. And…"

He blinked slowly, and looked toward the sad, broken little park. There was a stir inside his mind. Floating along was the colorful image of a park much like this one, and three rather clueless children playing around it. They spun on the merry-go-round, they played tag, they pushed each other on the swings. They held each other's hands and danced in a circle. One blonde, and two black haired children.

"_Ring around the rosy, a pocketful of posies, ashes, ashes…"_

"Xion."

Naminé looked up at him, and she nodded. "Yeah. You, me, and Xion."

"How?" Vanitas turned to her. "How were we here? You… you were born first, right? And then me, and then her. So how were we all here? How is that possible."

Naminé shook her head. "I don't know, Vanitas." She swallowed, and glanced toward the playground. "I don't know. I suppose… maybe Xehanort put us here at one point, to observe?"

"You would've been insane by then."

"Yes. But I'm not insane here. Not ever."

"We need answers," Vanitas concluded, scowling. "I'm sick of this shit. What the hell does a fricking playground have to do with anything? How were we here when we were younger?"

"I don't know."

"What _do_ you know?" Vanitas rounded on her, eyes ablaze. "I'd like to know."

"I know…" she blinked slowly, and winced. "I… was here… am here… I know I was put here. I know… I remember… sometimes… I think I'd see Xion. But she never stayed long. And… I don't know, it's fuzzy."

"Xion?" Vanitas muttered. His eyes widened. "Oh. Duh. This must've been how she controlled you."

Naminé grew silent. Vanitas did as well. They stood like this for a while. Confusion settled in both their minds, and Naminé looked ready to explode with frustration. She had remembered things, and then forgotten them. That was annoying for _both_ of them.

Then she jumped. Jolted, like she had just been shocked with electricity. Or maybe lightning was more appropriate in this situation. Vanitas looked at her tersely. She looked around, her damp hair whipping around her head, slapping noisily against her skin.

"Vanitas?" she whispered, turning her head very slowly to look at him. "Did you hear that?"

Vanitas gave her an irritated glare. "No," he snorted, tugging at the collar of his shirt. "All I hear is that stupid junk." He jerked his thumb toward the lonesome swings, and see saws.

Naminé looked around again, clasping her left arm in her right hand. "I thought I just heard…"

He jumped. He heard it. No, he _felt_ it. There was something else there. Something had entered the playground.

The screeching of the merry-go-round became louder, faster, almost unbearable. Naminé gasped, and spun around. Vanitas turned not long after.

The duo froze as they looked at the ever spinning, ever shrill circle. Vanitas's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped.

"What? What the _fu_—"

Naminé ran forward suddenly, and Vanitas cut himself off. "Hey!" he yelped. But she didn't seem to care. She continued toward the merry-go-round, her bare feet slapping against the pavement. She reached the spinning thing, and grabbed a rusty bar, halting its movement with an earsplitting screech.

There was silence again. It was unwelcome, and eerie, but it was still there. Vanitas could see a pair of feet dangling off the edge of the red, rusty spinning machine. He frowned deeply.

Then Naminé turned. Her eyes were wide, and they held a sense of utter confusion.

"What?" Vanitas asked, stepping forward. "What is it?"

She blinked, and looked down at the body on the spinning wheel. She hefted herself up onto it, teetering on the edge as she peered over the rusted bars. The platform moaned in protest to her added weight.

"It's Riku."

* * *

_Ha ha ha. I know you love my cliffhangers._

_I learned that there was another meaning to the word 'punk' by watching HellfireComms. I thought it would be ironic if I got Terra to say it. XD_

_Yeah, so, sorry took forever for me to update. My computer broke. -.- So I'm using my mom's old one. And my sister's old one. Both because they're both really slow. I prefer my sister's though. Uh, so, I got my first flame yesterday. That was... interesting. Laughable, almost, actually, but it still stung a bit, but it was still a laugh. _

_Did this clear anthing up at _all_? If not, I apologize. Questions are going to be raised whether I answer some or not, so you might as well go with the flow._

_Speaking of the flow, I know you're going to question the playground, and I do have an idea of how it works, but it's confuzzling. I like it though. I love the idea of an old abandoned playground. ^.^ Makes me think of the Slenderman._

_Hope you enjoyed the chapter. :] Review if you want. Whether or not you do isn't going to change the fate of some of these characters. Unless I feel particularily nice the day I decide to write some specific parts._

_Next Chapter: Skin Jacker_


	57. Skin Jacker

**White Knight: Fifty Seven :Skin Jacker**

Later that night, after a long search of the mansion and the grounds, the two groups met up again near a very familiar riverbed. Aqua slipped her shoes off, dipping her toes in the frigid water. She turned her head up at Terra, and smiled. "Remember when we used to come here all the time?" she asked, pulling her feet from the water, and crouching down at the muddy bank. Terra watched her, and nodded slowly.

"It wasn't all that long ago…" he murmured, looking up at the stars. They glowed dimly in the Dark Region sky, as if the shadows had placed a thin veil over them.

"Only a few years, right?" Aqua smiled, scooping a handful of sand from the bank. It was sloppy, and wet, and mixed with clay, but she didn't seem to mind. The bottom of her dress was tinged brown by now, as it brushed against the muck.

Terra took a deep breath, and he rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, it's only been a few years." His voice was weary, a tad withdrawn. Aqua said nothing after this, and she began to idly shape the thick, clayish sand into a heart. Terra was still utterly confused about Riku. Riku! His younger cousin, who had always been something like a brother to him. Riku had always been the brave one, the kinder one, the more arrogant one, sure, but all the same Riku had been a pleasant person. But at the party… Riku had acted like such a stuck up little asshole, Terra wondered why he hadn't punched the boy on the spot.

_Because something's wrong_, Terra thought, clenching his jaw. Something is going wrong now. Everyone felt it, it seemed. And when Riku came into the room…

"Aqua, why did you react so badly at the party?" he asked, crouching down next to her. She froze, her fingers stopping their meticulous workings at the thick slop of clay. She looked up at him, her eyes widening.

"You mean because I threw up?" she asked, blinking. "I don't think that was… because of the party, Terra."

"Didn't I tell you not to lie to me?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He glanced behind him, making sure Ven wasn't close by. Terra spotted him a few yards away, talking to Roxas, Hope, and Xion. Relieved, Terra turned back to Aqua. "Look, something rotten is happening. I know you can feel it a whole lot worse than I can. It's not good if you're reacting so violently to it. We said we were going to be honest with each other, so be honest with me. Right now, Aqua, I want you to tell me exactly what happened to you, and why things are affecting you so badly."

Aqua's mouth dropped open, and the little sandy heart slid from her hands, crashing to the river's bank and crushing under the weight. "I…" she averted her eyes, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Terra. I've been an awful friend."

"Shut up." He nudged her gently, the faintest of smiles tugging at his lips. "You're the best friend anyone could ever have. Which makes me worry about you even more than I already do. So tell me, please, _please_, what's bothering you."

She stared up at him, her eyes beginning to water faintly. "Terra… why are you such a good person?" she whispered, looking away. He rolled his eyes, his lips pursing in annoyance.

"I'm not a good person," he muttered, glaring at the dark water as it glittered against the dim light the crescent moon cast. "And don't argue with me about it. I'm not a good person, and I know that. I also know that you believe I'm a freaking saint, because I've always been here for you, but I'm not. What I've done is unforgivable, and even _you_ were never exactly kind to me after I showed up with someone else's blood splattered on my arms."

Aqua's shoulders slumped, as if the mention of his previous occupation had dropped a weight on her shoulders. "I know I wasn't very nice about it… but I understand now. It wasn't your fault, Terra. Those people that you killed, they were killed by Xehanort, not you."

"It was my face that they saw before they died, so it's my face that is responsible for their deaths. Not Xehanort's." Terra rubbed his face tiredly, the chilly air around them casting a rosy tint to Aqua's cheeks. "We were talking about you, weren't we?" He looked at her, scowling. "It's not fair that you're pulling this conversation to something that I don't want to talk about."

Aqua smiled gently. "You've always had a problem with opening up around me. Whenever you get going you can't stop."

"You take advantage of my weaknesses?" Terra asked, his eyes widening in mock surprise. "Harsh. And I thought you were the sweet innocent one."

Aqua giggled, covering her mouth quickly with her hand. Terra watched as a bit of muck slid across her cheek. "I'm not the sweet and innocent one at all. I'm absolutely _appalled_ to hear you say such a thing!"

Terra rolled his eyes, and reached forward, gingerly sliding his thumb over her cheek. The mud was wiped away, but her expression had turned shocked. Why was she so surprised whenever he touched her anymore? If this had been them a few years back, she would just smile, and thank him. Well, actually it depended on how many years back. Terra recalled how awkward they were when they had hit puberty. They could barely bump into each other without one of them jumping away and flushing.

It sucked they never had parents to explain hormones to them.

"So," he said in a low tone, his eyes flickering up to meet hers. His thumb was still resting against her cheek. "Talk?"

She stared at him, her mouth slowly dropping into a gape. She might've been in a daze, her eyes becoming unfocused, and glossy. Terra blinked slowly, trying to understand why she had suddenly frozen up. Then suddenly she snapped back to reality, her eyes widening. She snapped her head to the side, away from his touch, her hair falling over her face. Terra watched her, hopelessly confused, before he realized _she was concealing a blush_. Oh, that was good. Terra cracked a grin, the thought of making her blush sending him a little giddy. It was such a silly, and stupid accomplishment, but Terra took pride in the fact that it could be done by something so little as _wiping dirt from her face_. How messed up was that? Silly Aqua.

"Aqua?" he asked, honestly glad that his voice had remained steady and calm. Aqua looked toward him, and sighed.

"Okay," she said, standing up. She stretched her legs, and quickly dipped her hands in the water to wash them off. "Alright, Terra, I'll tell you what I've been feeling. But it's going to sound weird."

Terra smirked up at her. She really was a pretty girl. The way her hair curled, and spiked in and away from her face, and the almost angelic glow about her. He felt almost embarrassed to being thinking about her like this. He had known her for so long… he had treated her like a sister for most of that time.

He stood up and stretched as she had done. He stood in front of her, noting for maybe the hundredth time just how small she seemed compared to him. "Try me, Aqua. I can take it."

She snorted, and flicked some water at him. "Oh, I'm sure you can." She stuck her tongue out at him, and Terra felt the need to scold her for being childish. But instead he grinned wolfishly, and said with a laugh buried in his voice, "That isn't very nice."

"No?" She grinned, squishing the sand beneath her toes. "I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" Her voice was so light, and teasing. Terra wondered how they could manage joking around with all the stuff that was going on. With Naminé missing, and the search giving them barely an inkling of where she might be, and with the ominous force that the Dark Region held within its tight grasp. How were they managing it?

"Let's sit down," she said, gesturing to the grassy clearing near the river. Terra nodded, following her lead as the made there way away from the absolutely freezing water, and got comfortable in the grass. She began to chew on her lip as she tucked her shoes under her knees. Her expression was thoughtful, and her eyes wandered the forest. It was so calm, so peaceful. The nicest place to be in the whole Dark Region. And it had been theirs. Theirs and Ven's. But now they never came here. Now everything was… hard.

"So…" Aqua said slowly, probably trying to ignore his attentive stare. "So, this… feeling. It's like… being sick to my stomach, kind of, but… at the same time, being grabbed, and pulled. I just started feeling it tonight."

"Really?" Terra's eyebrows rose. "When has it been really bad?"

"At the party, of course." Aqua nodded, pushing her hair back. "And… when I was going to my room. I think. After I talked to Vanitas."

"Vanitas?" Terra muttered, his mind beginning to reel. "Hey, do you think—"

"No, I wouldn't have felt it at the party. Vanitas is sick, remember?"

Terra slouched, and nodded. "Yeah, right. Sorry."

"Don't be…" she murmured, rubbing her eyes slowly. "Look, I can't explain the feeling any better than that. But it's nagging, and…" she looked away. "I just… I feel like something really bad is going to happen, you know?"

Terra closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. I definitely know that feeling."

Aqua, scratched her head, taking her own deep breath. They were in a bad situation. That was obvious. Their whole lives had been like this, and it was awful. But… now that they knew about the world they lived in, it seemed so much more horrific.

They were silent for awhile, before Ven wandered toward them. "Hey," he said slowly. "You guys… you don't think anything happened to Naminé, do you?"

Aqua blinked, her eyes widened, and Terra stiffened. "Oh, Ven, she's probably fine!" Aqua gasped, staggering to her feet. "I'm sure she… she's just… hiding."

Ven looked away quickly, his shoulders slumping. "Y-yeah…" He laughed uneasily. "I'm sure she's… playing hide and seek. Like always…"

Terra closed his eyes. He didn't want to see Ven's face. Because… Ven was so innocent, and childish, it was hard to see him look so disheartened. Ven did not believe for a moment that Naminé was fine. On the contrary, he probably thought that she was dead, or near it. How could he possibly look into the face of a boy with such a look in his usually bright and joyful eyes.

Another thick silence spread out upon them, leaving the trio awkward, and confused. Aqua shifted from foot to foot, blinking slowly.

"Wait," she said, spinning toward Ven. Terra opened his eyes, frowning deeply at the girl in front of him. "Wait, Ven, we never checked the basement."

Ven looked at her, almost sharply, and his lips twisted into a grimace. "The basement?" he murmured. "You mean the lab?"

"Yes!" Aqua gasped. "Yes, of course! It's the only explanation! Think about it, do you think it's a coincidence that Vanitas got sick _right_ when Naminé disappeared? No way! Ansem took Vanitas to the lab, to do whatever they do to him and Naminé when they get their check ups."

Ven's eyes widened. "Hey… hey, you could be right!" The sudden happiness, and hope making his previously gloomy face shine.

Terra smiled, and stood up. "Alright, so are we going to the… uh, basement, then?"

Aqua looked toward him, and tilted her head. "You've never been down there, have you?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest, and frowning.

Terra shook his head. "Yeah, uh, no. What do you mean about the basement?"

"It's so creepy down there…" Ven whined, shuddering. Aqua nodded in agreement. "They run a bunch of experiments," she said, the corners of her lips tugging down. Ven looked at her blankly.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" he asked, his eyes widening. "Did I hear the word _experiments_ in that sentence?"

Aqua froze, suddenly remembering that Ven had no idea of the experiments that went on beneath the Dark Region mansion, and the fact that Naminé was probably a created being, like Vanitas and Xion. She looked at him, her eyes dull in the darkness. She said nothing, however, her lips pressing together tightly.

Ven shook his head, his eyes widening. "Wait, Aqua…" He was beginning to panic. His eyes darted around the grassy clearing, and he looked back at the girl. "Aqua, what do you mean?"

Aqua sighed, and rubbed her forehead. Well, she had to say something, or he'd have a spazz attack. "Ven…" she bit down on her lower lip, and closed her eyes. "The lab… it's for experimentation."

Ven blinked slowly. "Okay…?" he muttered, frowning. "Uh, explain?"

"They experiment on humans," Aqua continued, closing her hands over her heart. She could see Ven's eyes widen immediately, and his jaw dropped in shock. "That's what… what I think happened to the kids who were kidnapped from the Light Region. Me and you, we got out of it. But… Kairi and Sora… they were driven to near insanity before being dropped back on Master Eraqus's door step."

"So that's what Xehanort did?" Terra asked in a low voice. "He _experimented _on little kids. Can the old man get any sicker?"

"I'm sure he could," Aqua murmured, her stomach beginning to churn at the thought of her younger sister in that dreadful lab. It was only… it was only now that it all started to fit together. Vanitas. The Halfling.

Sora's Halfling. Of course, of course. Sora and Vanitas looked almost exactly alike. Sora had even been affected by Vanitas's awful temper. When he had gone into that rage the last time she had seen him, Vanitas had been angry with her. The stalker that the boy was…

It made sense now. It made so much sense, it almost hurt.

* * *

He had been watching Naminé try and detach the silver haired boy from the spinning wheel of metal deathtraps, thinking that he could probably help her if he wanted to. But he was feeling sluggish. In fact, the whole world of thick, cool air, and lonely playgrounds was beginning to feel out of focus itself. He licked his lips, noting how dry they had suddenly became. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth, and hot liquid appeared suddenly on his taste buds. He bit back a gag, the bitter, thick, syrupy substance beginning to slowly slide down his throat. He opened his mouth to spat it out, but he found his jaw clamped shut. His eyes widened as panic began to settle in the pit of his stomach, the sweltering liquid burning the back of his throat as it made its slow descent. He rose his hands, shakily, trying to pry his lips apart.

He looked up at his tiny blonde companion, but she had taken no notice to him. In fact, she was beginning to blur, the light yellow of her hair fading into the russet that was the merry-go-die, and the ivory of her still wet ball dress. Riku's black shoes begin to bleed into the wild mix of colors that made up this world of mind and soul.

The disgusting, slimy liquid finally slipped fully down his throat, and Vanitas dropped to his knees, his mouth finally opening. He let out the mightiest cough he could manage, pounding ferociously at his chest. He gasped for air, and cringed at the awful pungent aftertaste that resided in his blistered and burning mouth.

Naminé's head shot up at the sound of his strangled coughs. She stared at him, her face almost clear in the sudden blur that was the world. Her lips moved slowly, before they were removed from her face in a swipe of wind, sliding into the colors easily. He couldn't tell what was what anymore. He wasn't sure where Naminé had gone, or Riku for that matter. He felt sick, and tired, and he slammed his fists into the concrete, only to find there _was_ no concrete. Just blackness beneath him. What had happened to that goddamned park? Naminé, Riku? What the hell?

He tried to spit up the ghastly liquid, but he found that to be impossible, so he settled for spluttering, and coughing up a lung. His head was pounding, and his hands shook, and his mouth tasted like someone had shat lava into it.

And suddenly there was light. Bright, scorching lights that killed his eyes on contact. His breathing was heavy, lapsed. His throat felt abnormally dry suddenly, replacing the sweltering from moments before. Had that just been part of the dream?

He felt the coolness of metal against his skin. His back was bare, and the frosty table sent a chill up his spine. He gritted his teeth in frustration as he began to think. He was in the lab? Probably, right? On the table. _Oh, for the love of everything grotesque and malevolent, _please_ don't let me be naked again, _he thought with dry despair.

The poke and prod of needles in his arms made him twitch, and he twisted violently. "What the hell…" he coughed hoarsely, his eyes opening slightly. He saw the decrepit face of Vexen, his _favoritest_ lab assistant, and he grimaced. "Well, shit," Vanitas muttered groggily, his golden eyes narrowing at the man's sunken face. "I'm so used to waking up with a pretty lady by my side, you are certainly not the greatest change of scenery."

The man's face immediately turned a shade of dark plum, and he shouted just about every swear in the book at the drugged boy laying spread-eagle on the operation table.

Vanitas grimaced as Vexen began to jab him with every needle he possibly could, taking blood, injecting thick, jelly-like substances through syringes, sampling flesh. Vanitas didn't have the energy to care, so he allowed Vexen to do whatever he pleased, whether it be taking a carving knife and slicing a chunk of skin off his forearm, or doodling on his chest. Neither made Vanitas a happy camper, but Vanitas figured he had been sedated already, so moving would be a hassle.

But he kept himself amused.

"So, old man, did you get a boyfriend yet?" Vanitas asked casually as Vexen took a marker and drew a stupid looking circle around the scar Naminé had given him. The man actually hissed at him, his mark slid unceremoniously down his rib in a messy line.

"Ingrate!" he howled. "Look what you made me do!"

"Aw, screw you," Vanitas snorted lazily, his head cloudy from the many injections. "Oh wait, no one wants to!"

Vexen's eyes bulged out of their sockets, and he screeched, "Why you… I'm going to…"

"Back away from him, Vexen," a calm, cool voice interrupted the fun prodding. The voice was oddly amused, and Vanitas groaned at the thought of having to deal with more people. He just wanted to sleep now. After all the shit that had just happened to him, what with Aqua going psycho, and the basic heart attack, and then waking up in a playground inside his mind that was practically being flooded, now being used as a pin cushion for Vexen's sewing needles! Not cool.

Vexen immediately backed away from Vanitas, much to his surprised. The boy smirked dopily. "Ha. Serves you right, you prick."

"Please hold your tongue, Vanitas." At the sound of his name, the boy froze. His eyes widened, and he shot up from his laying position as for as he could go with the arm restraints. The way his name had been said. No _way_. It couldn't be…

"Oh, what the _hell_?" Vanitas gritted his teeth in annoyance as he gazed at the boy in front of him. His hair was the shiniest silver, sleek, girlishly styled down his back. He was wearing something that might have been simple once, but then it was modified by someone who could've been twelve and turned into some kind of black, and red, and silver monster. He looked purely laughable

The boy's lips curling upward in something scarily like a smile, but dreadfully nasty, and grotesque. It pulled at his muscles and tightened his jaw, making him look older than he really was. "What is it?" The boy chuckled, flicking some long silver hair from his eyes. "Don't like my face?"

Vanitas bit back a string of nasty comments. The monster in him applauded the man's nerve, while the child in him was sickened by the thought of looking at the boy. So Vanitas simply sneered, and waved his middle finger blindly. "Yeah, that's cool. I would've picked someone a little less girly, but you know, beggars can't be choosers. Now can you get me off here?"

"Put that finger down, and I may."

Vanitas rolled his eyes, resting his hand, now a fist, at his side. The boy sighed, and got to work at unbuckling the leather straps that held Vanitas to the metal slab of a table. Once the boy could sit up and move, he felt even hazier than before. What exactly had Vexen injected him with?

"I suppose you're wondering why I've come to you," the boy said loftily. Vanitas licked his lips, his eyes scanning the slightly blurry room for a cool beverage. "I just figured you'd tell me what to do, and I'd do it. That's how my job works."

"You haven't been very adequate at it as of late, though, hmm?" The teen stepped toward Vanitas's, his silver eyebrows raising. "Slacking off?"

"Sure. I've been entertaining girls. They just can't get enough of my good looks and dry wit." Vanitas winked at the older boy, and stumbled into a wall. "Shit, did you put that there?"

"Stop acting like such an invalid," the boy hissed glaring at him. He then sniffed, glancing up at the ceiling. "Honestly, gain some dignity."

"There is no dignity for a thing like me," Vanitas spat, his eyes drooping.

"Hmm…" the boy gave that eerie smile again, and he chuckled. "No, I suppose not."

Vanitas looked away, his stomach churning in unmistakable dread. He knew that this wasn't a casual visit. As Naminé had said, it was over. This was proof of it. The man was such a selfish bastard… but still, something in Vanitas begged that Naminé would be alright with Riku in that stupid mind world.

"So, are you ready for your task, Vanitas?" the boy asked, his orange eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

Vanitas pursed his lips, wishing desperately for a cup of freaking juice.

"Yes, Master Xehanort."

* * *

_"Good looks and dry wit" is something that Blue told me. She said that that was the only thing she cared about in a person. We were talking about Zelos Wilder, so you can imagine why it came to this. _

_Notice how I take some things that people tell me and put them into the story? Like, "Screw you. Oh wait! No one wants to!" Is something I'm sure one of my friends have said before._

_So, I know some people already guessed that MX was going to perfom Grand Theft Me on Riku, but here it is for people who didn't realize it. Was anyone actually surprised?_

_Oh, and Harry Potter tonight. Gotta get the tissues ready for Dobby's death. Fuuudge cakes. Gets me every time._

_I might have to warn some people about next chapter. It... it's a tad... well, I appologize in advance. _

_Toodles from Dani._

_Next Chapter: The Renegade_


	58. The Renegade

**White Knight: Fifty Eight :The Renegade**

Vanitas sat against the operating table, his stomach beginning to churn with discomfort, and maybe annoyance. He wasn't up for this shit anymore. Why was the Master so damn _insistent_? He wasn't… he didn't know if…

He scowled at the young Master as he strode past him, taking no notice to the drugged boy. What a cocky bastard.

"You know," Vanitas slurred, the drugs Vexen had given him still flowing in his system. "I don't like this mission."

The Master stopped, and looked down at the dark haired boy. "Oh?" His pale silver eyebrows rose slightly. "Well I suppose that is just too bad, is it not, Vanitas?"

Vanitas smiled lazily. "Yeah, it is, huh?" His flickered up at the ceiling as he grappled for soberness. "It might be fun though. If it works."

"It will work." The man's golden eyes flashed with determination. "Make no mistake. It will work."

"Well, fantastic!" Vanitas yawned, and dragged himself to his feet, leaning on the table for support. "But there's a _tiiiny_ flaw in your plan. Just a teeny one."

Master Xehanort's lips curled ever so slightly. "Oh?" he asked, his eyes mimicking those of a predator's. "Do tell, Vanitas. What could I have possibly made a mistake on? Aqua's emotions, her personality? I assure you, I am not mistaken. She will not take to you when you're through with this."

"Yeah, I know." Vanitas waved this off, his eye twitching slightly. "It's not Aqua I'm worried about. I know her better than you do. But you've forgotten one crucial thing, Master." He waggled his finger in Riku's face, and Master Xehanort narrowed his eyes.

"Just tell me, you brat." The man's voice was rough sounding, like a bull frog had lodged itself inside his throat. And Vanitas smiled, because that was in no way Riku's voice. That was the voice of an old man, bitter, and full of hatred. And Vanitas loved the fact that he was slipping.

"Ventus." Vanitas's eyes sparkled as a wide grin showed his pointy white teeth. "Ventus is a very good servant, Master. Very good indeed. He would do anything… _anything_ for Naminé. And it won't sit well with him, her being missing and all. And he'll eventually find her down here."

Master Xehanort scoffed, the mere idea seeming to almost amuse him. "And how will the boy get in here?" The pale eyebrows rose once more. "He has no Keyblade, no way to defend himself against guards. Nothing. That boy is nothing but baggage. He's no more a problem than an ant on a leaf."

Vanitas shot him a look of confusion, and uncertainty. Certainly Master Xehanort realized that Ventus was quite powerful even without a Keyblade. The boy had nearly overpowered him, after all. Taking his Keyblade, and everything. Quite a feat, really. Not to mention how damn _fast_ he had been! Vanitas wasn't one to compliment, but damn, that kid had major skill.

"Don't underestimate these people, Xehanort." Vanitas's warning sounded grave compared to his groggy, drugged tone that he had been using moments before. "They're not idiots. If they care about someone, they'll protect them no matter what. Beware of that."

Xehanort looked at Vanitas, his golden eyes gleaming where light aquamarine ones should have been. "So you are saying," he said, the corners of his lips twitching, "that no matter what I do, Ventus will find a way to get to Naminé and foil my plans?"

Vanitas pursed his lips, tucking a hand under his chin. "Yes, actually, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Master Xehanort's eyes slowly trailed up and down, looking him over in sick satisfaction. "It surprises me still that you are so…"

"Insightful?" Vanitas offered, smirking ever so slightly.

"I suppose." Xehanort waved. "It's odd to have an experiment, one like _you_, to evolve into an actual human being. Quite a shocker, Vanitas, I must say. Though I suppose getting help from our little friend was… cheating."

"Cheating?" Vanitas's eyes flared with anger, and something like a feral grin appeared on his face. "I never asked for this shit, you know."

"Calm yourself."

"Asshole."

"Calm yourself, Vanitas."

"Asshat."

"Vanitas…"

"Ass munch. Should I go on, ass crack?" Vanitas lazily leaned back, happy with his display of insults. Xehanort was not so happy, however.

Vanitas inhaled sharply as a foot was slammed into his stomach, sending a shock of pain up his spine. He groaned a little, glaring up at the old man inside a boy's body. "That wasn't very nice," he said, his voice broken up. "Someone must be PMSing."

Vanitas was kicked again. This time the Master's foot landed square in his face, smacking his head back against the operating table. The ring of his skull smacking against the metal rang in the empty lab, echoing lightly.

"Shit…" Vanitas groaned as the world became hazy, and stars darted his vision. "Drug me, beat me up. It's like date rape, only without the sex."

"Hold your tongue, Vanitas!"

"Hold it for me!" Vanitas grinned widely his eyes still ablaze with a crazed kind of anger. "Come on, Master! Are you done with me already? I'm _disappointed_ in you! Newer body, more strength… test it out on me, why don't you? Go on. I dare you." Vanitas's dark eyebrows raised as he watched the old Master watch him. They were calculating carefully the motives, and the will of their opponent. Their drive, their reasoning. Why was Vanitas willing to be beaten up? Would Xehanort continue to dawdle his time on Vanitas? It was so unclear…

Slowly, Xehanort bent down, grabbing Vanitas by his collar and pulling him to his feet. Vanitas simply smiled, and chuckled every now and again as Xehanort slammed his back into the operating table. The man… the man within a boy punched Vanitas's face, watching with sick fascination as he continued to smile at him, despite the bruise that was beginning to form at his left cheek bone. Xehanort tilted his head, and punched him again. More fascination sparked in his cold eyes, and a smile that nearly mirrored the one the crazed boy wore appeared on his face. He brought done his fist again, and again, every time sending a chill of satisfaction up his spine. The sickening smacks echoed off the walls, and returned to his ears full blast. Yes, he was very happy to be able to hurt someone so… easily. It was a pleasant feeling indeed.

The punches continued, Xehanort's wrath never ceasing, or tiring. And eventually the smile fell from Vanitas's lips. He could not keep it there any longer, what with his face becoming a mess of purple bruises and inflamed areas. But Xehanort continued to take out his fury on Vanitas's face, smashing his fist into his cheek again and again.

That was, until, he realized something. Xehanort realized this something quickly, and he dropped Vanitas in his haste to walk to a lone wheeled tray carrying an assortment of needles. Vanitas sank to the floor after a few moments of shock. He had not expected the beating to stop. The force of the beating was sinking in. His face felt numb.

"Heal yourself," the Master barked, pulling a phial of thick, tar-like liquid from the second shelf of the wheeled tray. Vanitas glared at him half-heartedly through his nearly swollen closed eye. What a bastard…

But Vanitas, being a good dog, did as he was told. After a quick _curaga_ his bruises and cuts were gone, and he still had energy to spare.

He watched in vague interest as the Master walked around the room, to a strange rectangular container, and pressed a shiny yellow button beside it. There was a screech, and an airy swooshing, and Vanitas stumbled to his feet as he saw to contents of the box-thing.

It was Naminé. Sitting peacefully inside the tiny box, her lips tugging down slightly in a worried frown. Was she worried about _him_? Or was her face just like that when she slept?

Numerous wires were stuck to the girl's head, maybe monitoring brain activity, maybe to look cool, who knew. But they were big, and bulky, and ugly, stuck to her head like giant suction cups. Xehanort tilted her head back, and pried her lips apart. Vanitas watched, shocked as Xehanort uncorked the bottle, and released all of its contents into the girl's mouth.

Now, he could smell that liquid, and it smelled awful. Like wet fur mixed with hot tar mixed with rotting entrails. He gagged, flashing back to only an hour before when he had drank the foul liquid himself. It was like… he was swallowing lava. Sticky, gooey, _scalding_ lava. Feeling that shit slide down his throat was like torture on a new scale. His tongue still felt numb.

Soon enough she began to cough. Her gasps filled the room as she clutched her throat in shock, unable to process the fact that something had just been forced down her throat, waking her up from her dreamland. Her literal dreamland, he supposed.

She began to spasm, her head slamming into the side of the metal box-thing. Her coughs became louder, more violent, and she shook her head, her fingers lacing around the collar of her dress, clutching it for dear life as she hacked out a lung. A bit of black liquid had dribbled down her chin. Vanitas wondered if it burned. It must have. The skin around it was red.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and she began to gasp. She threw herself to the ground, on her hands and knees, and panted. Vanitas was not surprised, and neither was Xehanort. She twitched, and coughed, and murmured, to herself, but nothing helped. Minutes passed as they watched her wheeze, a few tears straying from her eyes, awaiting something. He wasn't sure what that something was.

And then, she stopped. She collapsed on the floor, and whimpered quietly, curling into a small ball.

Xehanort made his move at that point. He swooped down toward her picking her up as gently as that man could. It was rough enough for her to jolt out of her comfort zone.

"R-Ri…" she rasped. "Rik-ku?"

"Yes, Naminé," the Master said, his faux sweetness light, and soft. It was almost believable, actually. So when Naminé gave the Master only a slightly inquisitive look before slumping in his arms and submitting to slumber, he was not surprised.

"Don't hurt her," Vanitas warned, standing up. He rubbed his face where there had been bruises only a few minutes earlier.

"Shush, Vanitas." Xehanort smirked, pressing a finger to his lips. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

"What exactly are you doing?"

Xehanort simply chuckled.

* * *

The group of misfits began to form their new strategy to crash the basement a little later. It seemed simple enough. Could be done with one person. Break in, get Naminé, get out. Plain and simple. But it was _too_ simple. So something had to be wrong.

"Maybe if we all attacked at once…"

"But who would be there for us to attack?"

"Scientists, maybe?"

"I'd think."

"We don't need all of us to attack a group of scientists. Just a few people would do."

"So, me, Aqua, and Terra, maybe?"

"Yes, that could do."

"We're not gonna kill them, right?"

"… No, Ven. We don't kill people."

"Oh, good…"

The group sat in silence, watching each other's facial expressions. Lightning stood, the dry grass crunching beneath her heeled shoes as she stalked toward the river. A light breeze blew over them, sending the woman's hair awry. It was then they began to notice the shift in temperature. It was warmer than before. Strange, really, but spring was on its way. It wasn't all that surprising.

Lightning frowned, her eyes slowly trailed to the left, her lips tightening. Her hand lifted, hovering over hip again. The soft chatters of the group behind her were deafening in the quiet of the forest. Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Shh," she held her index finger up behind her, a gentle noise tickling her senses as the voices quieted. She gritted her teeth in deep thought, trying to name that noise. Could it be an animal, or…?

She froze. Wait…

Her eyes widened, and she jumped away from the river, just in time to watch a shadowy figure dive from the trees, swiping at the air where she had just stood. She twisted, digging her heels into the ground as the shadow spun around, its blade of darkness flashing as it struck her side. Lightning gritted, her teeth, feeling the blade sink deep into her skin, tearing at her flesh. She quickly rose a foot, planting it on the person's chest. They began to curl away from her, the blade that had been imbedded in her side released, letting blood spill from the wound. Lightning rose her other foot against the person's chest, and kicking off against it. She spun, clutching her side, as she landed rather roughly a few feet away, stumbling backwards as she cradled her injured side.

"Lightning!" Hope shouted, rising to his feet. The shadowy figure rounded on him almost immediately, their blade slashing at him, catching his arm. Hope cried out, stumbling away from the blade as it came down, aiming for his chest. He scrambled to crawl from the blade as it struck the ground next to him, and kicked at the person's legs. The person jumped away, and their blade swiped down.

Hope hissed as an array of sparks hit his face, metal slamming against metal. He sat up, clambering away from the assailant. Ven pulled him to his feet, glaring at the shadowy figure. "What are you doing, Vanitas?" he asked, as Aqua stood up beside him. "Vanitas?" Her eyes widened as Terra pushed the boy away, using his own large Keyblade as extra force.

"Weren't you sick a few hours ago?" His eyes narrowed. Vanitas tilted his head, and chuckled.

"Oh, I was, wasn't I?" He grinned broadly. "But I'm all better now." His eyes flashed to Aqua, and they seemed to be aglow in the darkness. Gleaming gold, like two miniature suns. "All… better…"

Aqua stared at him, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "Vanitas, what… you're… better? What does that…"

"It means I'm not sick anymore." Vanitas rose his Keyblade above his head, his grin turning sinister. "I have no confliction with my feelings. Therefore…" He swung his blade at Terra, unsurprised when he stepped back, his own blade crashing into Vanitas's, causing sparks to fly into the air. Hope covered his eyes, and Aqua gasped, shielding herself with her arms.

Terra pulled back, holding his blade firmly behind him. He kept the Keyblade behind him, the tip resting against the grass as he brought his blade up in an arc, slashing against Vanitas's. More sparks flew around them, hissing as they made contact with the air. Vanitas spun, his blade crashing against Terra's, and he began to assault the older boy on all sides. Terra quickly dodged, surprised at the boy's sudden speedy attacks. He pulled his blade upward, watching as their Keyblades once again met, sending sparks into the air once more.

"Wait…" Aqua said, flinching as a few sparks brushed against her cheeks, leaving dark burns. "Vanitas, wait! Stop it!"

Vanitas simply laughed, his eyes flashing toward her. "Oh, please!" He swung his Keyblade, and it caught Terra's shoulder. He stumbled backward, raising his Keyblade as Vanitas slammed his against it. More sparks.

Aqua shook her head as the sparks blew toward her, and she looked to Xion. She was hiding behind Ventus, with Roxas at her side. She was also shaking her head, maybe confused, or unsure.

"Vanitas!" Aqua screamed, sounding a little more desperate. "Stop!"

"Aqua!" He shouted back mockingly. She shook her head, her eyes widening. "No," she gasped, "stop it! Please!"

"_Please_?" He snorted, his grip tightening on his blade as Terra counterattacked quickly, catching the black haired boy by surprise. Vanitas jumped back, watching as the blade nicked his chest. He chuckled, and shook his head. "Terra obviously isn't taking any chances!" Vanitas flipped away from the brunet's powerful blow. "You're just dumb, I guess."

"Vanitas!" Aqua's voice was nearing hysterical. "Stop messing around! Please..." She clenched her fists, her eyes darting around the clearing. Lightning was holding her wounded side, watching carefully from afar. She knew she was majorly disadvantaged without a weapon.

Vanitas spun around Terra, catching him by surprise, and struck him in the back. Aqua froze, and stared at the boy. No way. No way. No way.

Terra's eyes widened as the blade struck the flesh of his back. It was like he was back in the Gathering Square. The ghost of a whip smacking onto his back. He fell to his knees, more from shock than from pain. Vanitas snorted, and kicked his already bloody back. He made a sound, some kind of gurgling noise, before falling on his chest.

"Terra!" Aqua screamed, running forward. "Terra… oh my God, Terra—" She stopped in her tracks as Vanitas rose his Keyblade. Against her.

She stared at it, her heart beginning to speed up as the tip of the grotesque looking blade brushed against her nose. "Vanitas…" she breathed, closing her eyes. She didn't know what to say. What was he doing, exactly? He… was…

"It's over, Aqua," Vanitas said, cocking his head to the side. "Why don't you just back away real slow, kay?"

"No way," she spat, her fists shaking. "No way, Vanitas! Stop being so…"

"So like _me_?" Vanitas offered, his eyes narrowing. "Have you forgotten already? I'm not _human_. Your heart is just too big, you believed that I could really change, but I can't. I told you that. I warned you. You people are too trusting of monsters like us."

"Monsters like _us_?" Aqua asked, glaring at the boy's screwed up Keyblade. "There are no monsters here. So stop acting like you're some kind of demon, because you're _not_, okay?"

"Oh, you're so _sweet_!" Vanitas laughed, that eerie cackle that reverberated through her very bones. "But we _are_ demons, my dear." And with that, he smacked his blade against her cheek, watching with the widest of grins as she fell to the ground.

"Aqua!" Ven gasped, moving forward. But a voice stopped him. The gentlest of voices, ringing in the air like a bell.

"Please stop, Ventus."

Ven spun around, his eyes widening. No way…

Naminé stepped through the trees, looking like an angel of whiteness compared to the shadow of Vanitas. One arm behind her back, the other hanging gentle at her side, she walked slowly toward him. Ven's mouth dropped open.

"Naminé!" He cried, running toward her, pushing past his brother, and Xion. He grabbed her hand, pulling her into a hug. "Naminé, you're okay!"

She blinked slowly. "Yes…" she murmured, burying her face in his neck. "I'm fine. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." Ven laughed, happiness bubbling in his stomach. "It's… better than fine, Nami, you're okay!"

She laughed slightly, and Ven noticed the way her voice cracked. "Ventus… you really care for me, don't you." It was a statement, not a question.

"Of course I do!" Ven shook his had, his smile beginning to fall ever so slightly. "You mean the world to me, Naminé. I… I think I—" Ventus stopped. The soft noise that rang through the air was stomach lurching. He breathed out, his eyes widening in shock.

"Naminé…" he whispered, his lips quivering slightly.

She stared at him, pulling her hand from his stomach. Ven slumped against her, a bit of blood dribbling from the corner of his lips.

Naminé brought the knife down to her side, and she leaned forward, her lips brushing against his ear.

"I'm so sorry, Mister Ventus…" she whispered, a tear running down her cheek. "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

_I appologized in advance, right?_

_... Well, I'll just say it again. Sorry. Uh..._

_Review? I actually didn't get that many last chapter. Maybe this'll wake you up? :D_

_Happy belated Easter. _

_Next Chapter: Forlorn Hellos_


	59. Forlorn Hellos

**White Knight: Fifty Nine :Forlorn Hellos**

The entire clearing held a heavy silence as those remaining on their feet stared as Ventus dropped to the ground. Aqua squirmed, trying to get up and see what had happened. But her efforts were quashed as Vanitas placed his foot on her spine, pushing down hard. She gasped, her face smacking against the ground, dirt filling her mouth. She spluttered, and thrashed, managing to glare up at the boy pinning her to the ground.

"VEN!" Roxas screamed, his voice cracking in shock and despair. Aqua froze, her whole body stiffening.

"No way…" Hope breathed, stepping back toward the girl sprawled on the ground.

Xion stayed oddly silent, slinking away from the familiar faces. "Oh no…" she murmured, her eyes darting around the clearing.

But it was Lightning who seemed to most shocked. She stared past Hope, and Roxas, and watched with wide, horrified eyes as Naminé turned around slowly, revealing a long line of red running down the front of her usually pristine white dress. Her expression resided in complete shock for a few moments, before it turned into an utterly sickened gape.

"You…" Lightning whispered. "_You_…"

Aqua was finally able to look up, her head jutting out at an awkward angle as she stared through the grass, and squinted.

Her worst fears were confirmed.

She laid there for who knew how long, staring blankly at the girl covered in blood, and the body behind her, stuck in a moment of pure terror and anguish.

"_VEN_!"

She began to thrash. Under Vanitas's heel, she started grabbing at the grass, trying to pull herself up, be he was holding her put, applying pressure to a part of her spine that was necessary for her to walk. She became more and more desperate as seconds ticked by, and she began to shout profanities at the black haired boy holding her down, tears forming in her eyes. She tore at the grass beneath her, her face contorted with rage.

"Let me _go_, you _bastard_. Get your _goddamn _foot off of me!"

Vanitas simply whistled, his eyebrows raising. "You've got a mouth, mousey! It's shocking!"

"You… I will _kill_ you if anything happens to Ven, Vanitas. Remove your foot from my spine or I'll _remove your genitals from your pelvis._"

This comment actually made the boy's jaw drop. He stared down that the blue haired girl, before throwing his head back and laughing. "I'm flattered my genitals are on your mind!" He grinned broadly, watching as girl flushed miserably.

"I _did not_—"

His heel dug deep into her spine, and she cried out, her limbs going limp as she tried to pick herself up, and she crashed back to the ground.

"Liar liar, Miss Aqua."

She began to tremble beneath his foot, and a tear slid down her cheek. No way was this happening. _No_.

"Please…" she whispered. "Please, Vanitas. I'll do anything you ask. Just let me heal him, please…"

Vanitas blinked slowly, and he peered down at her. "Hmm?" He smirked, and leaned forward. "Resorted to begging, huh? Typical human, aren't you?"

She closed her eyes as more tears began to pour from her eyes, parading down her face indifferently, strutting their salty glory. Her trembling became worse, as the seconds ticked in her head. Was he dead yet? What if he was still alive, but in agonizing pain? What if… what if…

She arched her back, her eyebrows furrowing in fixed determination. She couldn't let this happen. That was _Ven_ bleeding to death over there. Ventus… the little brother she never had… the best friend that was there when Terra wasn't. He was… he was more than just a simple brotherly figure. He _was_ her little brother, however a little brother could be one. How could she… how could she just let him…

Vanitas rolled his eyes, and slammed his foot down onto her back, listening to her scream in pain, and fall to the ground.

"The show has just begun, sweet heart," he said, traces of bitterness withheld in his edgy tone. "This is only a preview of what's to come."

"_Vanitas_," she gasped, her tears nearly choking her. "Vanitas, there's good in you, I know it. _Please_. Let me go!"

"_No._"

"Why?" Her voice shook in confusion, and terror. "_Why_? Why now, why this? Why _Ven_?"

"Because he was in the way." His voice was short, and emotionless. Aqua shook her head, desperately trying to grapple onto her sanity. This could not be happening. No way was Ven dying. It just _didn't happen_. It couldn't. It wasn't possible.

"That's not a reason!" she shrieked, her voice raising several octaves. "That… isn't… _right_!"

"My _mind_ isn't right." He snorted, applying more weight on her back as she began to squirm again. "But no one seems to care about that."

"Vanitas…"

"Shut up!" He lifted his foot from her back, and drove it back onto her spine before she could so much as move a finger, causing her to scream once again. It was then she realized that even if he took his foot off her _she'd be in too much pain to get up_.

More tears pooled in her eyes, and slipped from her lashes. They ran sideways, slipping down the bridge of her nose, and into her other eye as she began to sob miserably. She looked upward, and called out.

"Roxas!" She tried to inch forward, but had no such luck. She shook her head. "Roxas, please, can you—" But Roxas could not move. He was frozen in front of Naminé. As if he were having trouble moving. Aqua stared. He was so _close_ to Ven, and yet…

"Roxas!" She called again, her voice beginning to tremble. "What… what are you doing?"

Roxas turned his head toward her, his eyes downcast. "I can't hurt her…" he said, his voice barely reaching her. "I promised… and Ven, if I healed him, but hurt Naminé, he'd…"

"Roxas…" Aqua whispered, feeling something shatter deep inside her. If Roxas couldn't heal him, then…

She gritted her teeth. No. It couldn't end like this. Ven couldn't die here. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

Aqua clenched her fists, and took a deep breath. She squared her shoulders, trying to muster up as much strength as possible. She arched her back, despite the crushing pain that held her to the ground, and she began to scream. Vanitas was not very impressed by her wailing, even chuckling a bit as he lifted his foot from her back to slam it into her spine. But Aqua was quick, and she flipped herself off her stomach, letting out a small grunt of pain as a wave of numbness trickled down her spine. She kicked upward, not really aiming for anything in particular, but catching the boy in the stomach. His utter shock sent him stumbling backwards, clutching his now aching abdomen.

Aqua took another deep breath, moving her fingers as they began to twitch. Her body was too heavy. She couldn't pull herself up, not on her own. Hope… or Xion, maybe… if she could just shout for them before Vanitas counter attacked…

"Bitch…" the boy rasped, his heavy footsteps pounding in her ears. She winced. There was no way Hope could fend him off. What about Roxas? Roxas definitely could. He was better with his Keyblade than Aqua! But… Roxas was much too far away. And Vanitas was getting closer… and closer…

"You look so pathetic like that, you know that? Why don't you just—" Vanitas was cut off, and he made a loud grunting noise. Aqua's eyes widened, and she moved her head, trying to get a good look at what had just happened. Her eyes widened as she was pulled to her feet, her arm slinging over someone's shoulder.

"Come on…" Lightning hissed, clutching her side as she began to drag Aqua backwards, toward Ventus's body. "Laying around… isn't going to get that boy healed, is it?"

Aqua stared at her, trying to take in what was happening. This woman was injured and bleeding, she had tried to _kill_ Aqua in the past, and yet she had the will to help her? Aqua slumped, feeling inferior to the pink haired woman.

"Thank you," Aqua murmured as they passed the unconscious Terra. She closed her eyes, and searched her mind for the workings of her legs. Surely there was an instruction manual somewhere…

There we go!

The feeling returned to her spine, it ached, but she could feel. She took another deep breath, and straightened herself. She concentrated her energy on Lightning, feeling the blood stop seeping through her wound as it knitted itself together seamlessly. Lightning's eyes widened as she let go of her side, and looked to Aqua. "What…" the woman gaped.

"Thank you, Lightning," Aqua whispered, slipping her arm from her shoulders. She moved forward, surprised by how grueling it was to simply move a leg forward. Lightning stood behind her, watching with a grimace as the blue haired girl moved slowly. She did not help, though. She knew the girl wanted to do this on her own.

Aqua screamed as a bolt of lightning sliced through her shoulder, and she dropped to her knees. She was only half way. If only…

Vanitas was already behind her, twisting her around so she could see his face. A bit of blood had slipped from the corner of his lips, making it apparent where Lightning had punched him. Aqua tugged at her arm, glaring at the boy as he smiled innocently at her.

"That was cute," he chuckled, his grip on her arm tightening. "Real cute, Aqua. But play time is over."

Aqua said nothing. She was sick of this. Anger was building in the pit of her stomach, and she realized how betrayed she felt. Why had she put her faith in Vanitas? Why did she ever think he could change?

She stood, raising her leg and giving him a roundhouse kick to the head. She winced, her spine tingling with the pain from Vanitas's assaults. She ripped her arm from his grasp, and stepped back.

"I'm sick of this," she whispered, her glare intensifying. "Stop playing with me, Vanitas, or I swear—!"

"Your threats your useless." He spat at her, cradling his injured jaw. Aqua blinked as a bit of his blood was sprayed across her face. "Have you forgotten? My existence means _nothing_ to me. Do what you want. Kill me, cut off a limb, torture me. But all it will get you is a dead friend and a guilty conscience."

"Friend?" Aqua hissed, grabbing her shoulder as the pain began to digest. It smelled like roasting flesh. "You, Vanitas?"

"Of course not." He chuckled, a smile evident on his face. "I was talking about the kid that was stabbed by his girlfriend. I'm not foolish enough to think you still consider me a friend after all of this."

Aqua froze. She spun around, and began to run, her legs throbbing, and aching with protest. She didn't care. She pushed herself forward, past Hope and Xion, who were standing by each other, looking guiltily useless. She ignored this, and continued to run, her knees buckling as she came to a stop beside Roxas, in front of the tiny blonde covered in her friend's blood.

Roxas stepped back, bowing his head in shame. Aqua wasn't… exactly angry with him. He didn't want to hurt Naminé. This was understandable. Ven would do the same, even if it was his brother dying. Aqua's stomach twisted violently as she realized just how well Naminé had these two coiled around her finger. They would do anything for her. Ven would die for her, surely. And if she could heal him… he wouldn't even blame her for stabbing him. He was too nice, and too blinded by love.

She found herself wondering… would she be just as blinded if it were she being stabbed? By Terra? By… Vanitas? Surely it was Vanitas's true nature to be violent. She had been abused by him many, many times, and yet, this was so different. And what if it were Terra? How could she forgive that?

She was simply not as nice a person as Ven.

She stepped forward, trying to move around the girl. She too had… conflictions with hurting her. She was too tiny, too frail, too sad looking, even with Ventus's blood down her front.

Naminé stepped in front of her, clasping her hands together as she stared at the ground. Aqua's eyes narrowed, and she straightened, despite her injured back.

"Naminé," Aqua said, her voice steady, but holding a hint of anger. "Let me pass."

Naminé bent her head low, her blond bangs falling over her eyes. She shook her head, and Aqua noticed traces of tear tracks on her cheeks. "I… I'm sorry, Miss Aqua…" Naminé whispered, her voice hoarse. "I can't let you go further. I…" Her shoulders began to shake, and she tightened her grip on her hands.

Aqua stared at the girl, and anger spiked up in her veins, her head beginning to reel at the thought of this girl standing in her way of healing Ventus. She clenched her fists, feeling her muscles tense as she tried to push down the urge to backhand the girl so hard Mother Nature could feel the mighty slap. Aqua rose her fist, her anger becoming overwhelming. Then the girl flinched, her shoulders tensing up as she waiting for the blow. This made Aqua freeze.

No. This wasn't her.

Aqua pushed her hand down on Naminé's shoulder, and the girl gasped as Aqua stood on the tips of her toes, and jumping. She pushed off Naminé's shoulder, making her stumble, and Aqua flipped over her head, landed a bit shakily behind the girl, a jolt running up her already aching spine. Aqua and Naminé stood back to back for a moment, neither moving. Aqua thought she heard a little sigh of relief, but was wasn't sure.

Then she dropped to her knees beside her friend, examining the damage quickly. It was a stomach wound, almost fatal, but not unfixable. Not a quick kill either. If she had to guess, a regular medic could save him if they had the time. But luckily they had something better than a medic.

Aqua placed her hands on his abdomen, and looked down at his face. He was sweating, and very much conscious, his pale eyebrows furrowed in shock, and pain. Beneath his eyelashes she could see tears, because the betrayal cut him deeper than the knife did.

She closed her eyes, and poured every ounce of magical power she had in her into healing the wound. Because he was alive. Alive, and he was healing, and she was going to beat the shit out of Vanitas after Ven could sit up. She wanted to blame Naminé, but it was too hard to. Aqua was sure Vanitas had threatened her with something… or maybe Xehanort did. Something happened to the two of them when they disappeared. Them and Riku…

Aqua stopped her healing flow when she heard Ven murmur something to her. She was too caught up in her thoughts to hear.

"Ven?" she whispered, something like adrenaline pumping in her veins after using so much power. It would run out soon, and she'd drop like a stone, but she didn't care at the moment.

"Aqua…" he coughed, rubbing his eyes. "Aqua… ow. That hurt. That hurt really, really bad."

Aqua bit her lip, and nodded, a trace of a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. "I'm sure it did…"

Ven sat up slowly, poking his stomach to see if it was actually healed. He laughed a little, and wriggled his finger into the hole of his vest and dress shirt.

"Wow," he said, prodding his belly button, which was visible through the bloody clothe. "That was scary!"

Aqua stared at him, tears building in her eyes. She shook her head, and flung her arms around his shoulders. "Thank the skies you're alive, Ven…" she breathed, squeezing his eyes shut. Ven froze, his body stiffening as he realized how relieved she sounded. He didn't smile, or crack a joke. He simply sat there, and let her hug him.

There was the clear sound of clapping coming from somewhere behind her. Aqua gritted her teeth, recalling the dark haired boy who had seriously pissed her off in the last ten minutes or so of her life.

She let go of Ven, and stood up. Naminé's back was still turned to her, but she side stepped as Aqua moved forward. It was obvious that Naminé had not wanted this. That she had wanted Ven to be healed. But still, the girl had _stabbed_ him. She couldn't forgive that.

"Vanitas…" Aqua hissed, striding up to him as her adrenaline was dwindling. She knew she needed it though. Now more than ever.

The black haired boy smiled at her from across the clearing, his perfectly white teeth flashing in the darkness.

Her stride turning into a run, and her anger was overpowering her sense of judgment, like it almost had with Naminé. She wanted to tear the boy to shreds, and toss him in the river for the fish to eat. Her feet were still bare from when she had taken her shoes off to dip them in the freezing water, and the dead grass crunched beneath her feet. She would get answers out of him. One way or another.

She was near him now. She reached out, and grabbed him by the neck, pushing him hard into the closest tree. This was the last of her strength, and she knew it. She wouldn't be able to heal Terra, but she was sure Roxas could do it, if it came to that. Right now she was focused on this boy. This awful little boy, that she thought had changed his ways, but _no_.

It always came to this.

"Vanitas," she growled, her fingers tightening around his neck. He leaned his head back against the tree trunk, and grinned broadly at her.

"Aqua," he rasped, as she tightened her grip on his neck. "Trying to strangle me again, huh?"

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" she hissed, ignoring her trembling knees. They'd give way soon. Did he know that? She hoped her face didn't betray her exhaustion.

"Nothing you need to worry about. I took care of it."

Aqua shook her head, watching as her fingers began to shake against his skin. "What the hell, Vanitas…" she whispered.

His lower lip jutted out suddenly, and he gave her a rather strange pout, his golden eyes growing big. "It's sad," he whispered, sliding a hand into his pocket.

"What?" Aqua spat, her eyes narrowing.

"Everything, actually." His voice was softer than she expected. Tired, maybe. She hoped so, anyway. She could feel all her adrenaline seep out of her.

"Fantastic, Vanitas, but I want answers."

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I can only give you one."

"Oh?" Her eyebrows raised in faux shock. "Enlighten me then."

He lifted his hands, placing them on top of her own. She blinked slowly as he pried her grip from his neck, and entangled his hands in hers. She felt something cold slip into them, and she blinked slowly. Could she resist him? She didn't have much strength left.

He then let go of her hands, and did something… completely unexpected.

He pulled her into a hug. One unlike Terra's bear hugs, and Ven's happy embraces. This was like… a friendly hello mixed with a silent goodbye. Aqua was frozen in shock, and fear as he leaned toward her. Not another kiss… not in front of so many people…

She flinched as his lips connected with her skin. And then she felt even more shock settle into her body.

The cheek. He kissed her on the cheek.

It lasted a few seconds, before he pulled his lips from her skin. But they lingered by her ear for longer than necessary.

She listened as he swallowed, and leaned forward a little, his lips nearly brushing her ear.

"Thank you, Aqua…" he whispered gently. "For… everything."

He let her go, stepping past her as she began to digest those words. Her breath hitched in her throat. No. No way…

She dropped to her knees, exhaustion finally taking over. She turned her head her eyes widening as Vanitas walked up to Naminé and grabbed her hand. Aqua could see her shaking. It was like she was having a seizure, or something. The girl turned her head towards Ven, and Aqua could see their gazes locking for a moment, before Vanitas pulled her away.

They only stopped once more. When they were at the edge of the clearing, Vanitas looked back at her.

She wasn't sure if she saw right… it was dark, her vision was hazy, he was so far away…

But it looked like he smiled. The tiniest smile, vacant of deceit, or sarcasm, or madness, or arrogance. It was a simple smile that you might see on someone you had once known, long ago, meeting them again for the first time. It was a very simple hello.

A very simple goodbye.

Because they were gone right after that.

Something wet slid down Aqua's cheeks, and she wondered why, because she had been so, so _angry _with him. She looked down, opening her fist. She stared at it for a moment, and her lips began to tremble. She had forgotten…

She had forgotten all about her broach from the Light Region…

* * *

_Vanitas is a good actor. :/_

_So I didn't kill Ven. I need him for the ending. But this was fun. I mean, LOOK AT ALL THAT FEEDBACK! *Snicker* Okay, sorry. _

_Anyways, I like this chapter. I don't like the next chapter, however. It's a huge filler. I just don't know how to go about beginning to END this. It's really scary. Even though I know this will take CHAPTERS to do, the beginning of the end truly starts after next chapter. I hope. I haven't written that yet. Meh._

_Also, I believe I may be writing an FMA fanfiction soon. O.o It'll be a weird half AU like this, except more in tune to the FMA universe. Via, Amestris, Alchemy, Homunculi. Human Transmutation. ;D The only thing I have to work out is the Al's soul thing... meh. I can't explain the plot to you, because I actually plan on it being a little confuzzling. I'd also be using 2003 anime characters, via, Fletcher and Russell, alongside Manga/Brotherhood characters, via, THE EPIC TRIO (plus the two badass cuties (yes I'm counting the panda, got a problem?)) FROM XING, OLIVIER MIRA BADASS ARMSTRONG, everyone from Briggs, actually, REBECCA (UPTOP To THOSE WHO SUPPORT HAVOCxREBECCA!), and so on. But I'm afraid of commitment, so we'll see how it goes. *Has already written two chapters, and is going to continue with the next one tomorrow, hopefully*_

_I must be off though, so I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review, I suppose, if you'd like to, I'd be very happy._

_Toodles._

_Next chapter: The Calm_


	60. The Calm

**White Knight: Sixty :The Calm**

Vanitas and Naminé were barely a few yards into the forest when Naminé finally broke down. She flung herself against a nearby tree, taking deep, deep breaths as her face paled considerably. Vanitas's eyes flickered to her as she pushed herself back from it, her palms still resting on the bark as she bowed her head and emptied the contents of her stomach. It was too dark to see exactly what color the foul smelling sick was, but Vanitas knew it would be black. It was the only thing she had in her system, he was sure. She probably didn't eat much at the party.

She stood there for a few moments, trying to gather herself. Her pants were audible only to him. The people in the clearing were too busy screaming for Aqua to notice the heavy breathing of the tiny girl. She closed her eyes, straightening only to lean her head against the tree. Vanitas could see her lips moving silently, forming a prayer of sorts. He cocked his head to the side, and stepped forward, raising his hand to comfort her.

She immediately flinched away from him. Her blonde hair looked dry, like white straw in the dim moonlight. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and there were large bags under her eyes, making them look even wearier. She took a step back, pulling her arms up and folding her hands over chest.

"Please don't touch me, Vanitas…" she whispered, staring at him with wide eyes.

Vanitas watched her, his dark eyebrows furrowing. He slowly let his hand drop to his side. "I'm sorry," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "I wasn't really up for doing this either."

"I didn't realize… how awful…" Her lips trembled, and a small gagging noise erupted from her chest. She cringed and flung her head to the side, disposing more dark liquid. She held her stomach with one arm, the other leaning against a tree for support.

"I really am sorry."

Naminé nodded slowly, her tired eyes flickering up to his face. "I just…" she murmured, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I… hurting him… it feels so familiar… Vanitas, did I ever hurt him before?" Her voice trembled, her fear emitting from her body in waves, making Vanitas shudder in terror.

Vanitas shrugged, and scratched his head. "Dunno, Nam. I didn't talk to you much outside the lab. Not until recently."

Naminé closed her eyes, biting firmly on her lower lip to help her keep calm. "But… why would I…" She rose her hands shakily, her fingers brushing her cheeks as she fearfully gazed at the ground.

"I feel sick…" she moaned, rubbing her face. Vanitas sighed, shaking his head.

"We have to go," he whispered, grabbing her by the elbow. "Come on, before they find us here."

Naminé sniffled, nodding subconsciously. She seemed to have drifted off into her own little world. Vanitas pulled her forward, watching with subtle curiosity as she submitted to being dragged. He knew she wanted nothing more than to go back into her little box, and sleep. And soon enough she would do just that.

He supposed that… it was sad. They were walking their last steps right then. It didn't seem like she cared much anymore. She had already given up. Maybe she thought Ventus wouldn't forgive her? How idiotic of her. It seemed she didn't know him at all. While Vanitas could see _clearly_ that he had been at the disadvantage in this situation. Surely Ventus would forgive Naminé in a heartbeat for stabbing him. He would have a momentary displeasure, some confusion settling inside his mind, but he would come around eventually. Aqua, however, wanted to hate him. It had taken so long for her to trust him (despite his reluctance to trust her), and something like this completely shattered any form of care between the two of them. He wasn't all that sad. He didn't want her to care. It made things easier. But still, it was important that she knew that they were not at fault in that particular situation. Because her word was law. If she believed that they were innocent, the others would surely consider this as well.

But… even then… he still wished that somehow…

Well, it couldn't be helped. They were too deep into hell to be saved now.

* * *

Aqua collapsed moments after realizing what exactly Vanitas had given her. She was too tired… much too tired… and her back ached like crazy. What was with that boy's _strength_? It seemed like he was even stronger than Terra with the kicks he gave! She felt the need to groan, but she couldn't find the strength to.

Her mind drifted away from the clearing, from Ventus and Terra, and settled solely on Vanitas.

What was happening with him? Was that all a show? Had they just been acting that whole time? Naminé looked absolutely terrified by the whole thing, and yet she had _caused_ it. She stabbed Ven. She refused to let anyone heal him. Why was this? What was happening here?

So many questions, and yet she just wanted to _sleep_…

Vanitas had hugged her. Kissed her on the cheek. She hadn't sensed any awkwardness to it— in fact, it seemed like the boy was just being natural about the whole thing. But it was strange, and unexpected. She didn't know… she didn't understand…

This was the confusing thing about Vanitas. He made her feel funny. She never understood it, not really. But he was so different… from everyone she knew… so awful…

How in the world could she care about someone like that?

It seemed utterly useless to care about Vanitas… completely useless… but she felt so… betrayed? She had really thought he had changed. Had he? Or had he just been toying with her again? It was all too confusing to think about… but… what if… just maybe Vanitas was…

Being good…?

She groaned as she was flipped onto her side. Why couldn't people just be gentle? She relaxed a bit as a light flowed over her, enveloping her in a soft green. The pressure in her back was gone immediately, and she felt much of her strength return. She blinked slowly, gazing at dead, brown grass, and somebody's foot.

She sat up, her eyes quickly darting around her, taking in what she needed to keep her mind from reeling. Roxas was kneeling in front of her, his eyes tired, probably because he had just healed her. Terra was standing behind him, watching her with big, worried eyes. Ven stood next to him, looking quite like he had just walked out of a ferocious battle, what with his shirt and vest soaked clean through with dark red blood, and his mouth featuring a lighter, dried variety. Aqua's eyes softened as she stared at him. He was fine, she told herself. Completely fine.

Lightning was there too, looking down at Aqua with an odd little frown gracing her lips. Aqua realized that her face was caught in an everlasting pout, and this was a normal face for her to make. Hope stood near her side, and Xion was next to him, looking saddened, as usual.

"What's going on?" Aqua croaked, her voice hoarse, and scratchy in her throat.

"Nothin' much." Ven said, rubbing his stomach, his lips twitching in slight irritation. "Just some brain storming."

"Brain storming?" Aqua murmured, as Terra hurriedly helped her to her feet.

"Ven has it in his mind that Vanitas and Naminé had no intention of killing him." Terra shook his head, scowling slightly. "I can't believe I passed out. When I see that little shit again, I'm gonna rip his tongue out."

Aqua blinked slowly, and she looked toward Ventus. The bloody boy glared half heartedly at Terra, but he looked just about defeated. The others had probably near convinced him that Naminé was evil. Aqua watched him, her eyes drooping as she gazed on.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Ven might be right."

All eyes were on her, staring blankly. Ven's face brightened immediately, and it was as if a light had suddenly turned on in the forest. He jumped over his brother (quite literally clambering over his twin) and sped up to her side, his eyes sparkling with glee.

"Really, Aqua?" he asked. "You really think that they're innocent?"

Aqua smiled a little. "Yes, Ven," she said, nodding. "It's a possibility."

"Aqua…" Terra said slowly, his eyebrows furrowing. "But… wait… explain…"

Aqua nodded, and smiled a little wider at him. "Don't hurt yourself, Terra. I'll tell you guys what I think happened."

"Aqua, I'd hate to be rude," Lightning said, her eyes flitting between the blue haired girl and Terra. "But you'd have to be an absolute lunatic to believe that that boy… the one with the strange eyes, to think that he could possibly be _innocent_."

"It _is_ crazy, Lightning." Aqua looked down, her own eyebrows furrowing as she began to wring her hands around each other in confusion. "He's awful, I'll admit it. He's cruel, and idiotic, and a tad abusive—"

"Abusive?" Terra murmured, his jaw hardening.

Aqua ignored him, not ready to explain Vanitas's harsh tendancies. "But, Lightning, I don't think he was doing something bad this time. I think… maybe they were warning us."

"Warning?" The pink haired woman scoffed. "Naminé _stabbed_ Ventus. What on earth could that be warning us of?"

"_This is only a preview of what's to come."_

Aqua slumped.

_Halflings are creatures of the half. Half of a person, animal, or spirit. If there is a Yin, there must be a Yang to exist beside it. Halflings embody this, but instead of Yin and Yang being side by side, they are split apart. They coexist, closely bonded to each other, but somehow exist separately, with different minds, and souls._

"Vanitas was taken to the lab…" she whispered, closing her eyes.

"_Vanitas… you're not real, are you?" _

"And Naminé disappeared…"

"_Shh. It's okay, Miss Nami. You don't have to be afraid. It's just a check up, right?"_

"Guys…" she whispered, taking a deep breath. "Guys, I think… I think they need our help."

They all stared at her, disbelief shining in their eyes. No way could they be good. No way was it possible.

"I have to go…"

All eyes turned on Xion. The girl looked just as dark and ominous as Vanitas, her hair shining blue under the dim, dim light of the moon.

"What do you mean?" Ven asked, his eyes widening. "You're gonna leave?"

She nodded, and turned away slowly. She seemed to be sullen, her shoulders slumping as she dragged herself forward, across the clearing. Aqua watched her, the girl's tiny form fading into the darkness of the forest. No one stopped her. Why? Aqua felt that pull, that want to follow, but she couldn't move. She stayed rooted to that spot, and watched as Xion's trudged away.

_Replica._

Aqua took a deep breath, and pressed the cool metal pendant to her chest. This was what she needed to figure out. Could she trust Vanitas? Naminé? Xion? Created humans?

The answer was awfully unclear. How could you trust someone that just tried to kill your best friend? How could you trust someone who was pure evil?

But Vanitas really had changed. It was scary, but she knew he had. His heart… Aqua knew that is wasn't all hate and pride anymore. He really understood what it meant to be human now. He… had to…

"We have to get Naminé and Vanitas." Aqua clutched the pendant closer to her chest. "I think I understand now. They were trying to warn us about something that's about to happen. Something really big. Don't you see? Why else would Vanitas…"

Lightning looked at her. "I see," she murmured. "He said something to you, didn't he? Before he left, he whispered something in your ear."

Aqua nodded, her stomach twisting violently. Terra's eyebrow raised. "What'd he say, Aqua?"

"He… thanked me," Aqua whispered, closing her eyes.

"For what?" Ven asked, his eyes widening innocently.

Aqua shook her head, her lips twitching. "I… I have no idea. He said… for everything. But I never did anything for him…" She looked up at the sky, the darkness deep, spiraling, swallowing up everything in its carnivorous way. "No one has…"

Terra watched her, his cobalt eyes widening in a sort of shock. His shoulders slumped as he realized this as well. No one did anything for Vanitas. But he never did anything for them, either… right?

"Does he deserve anything, Aqua?" Terra whispered, his eyes cast on the ground.

Aqua turned to look at him. Her eyes were sparkling with tears. Slowly, she nodded. "He's never had anything, Terra," she whispered back. "Never ever. Not a single friend, or a real home, or a family. He never even had a childhood. Everything he is… it was created specifically for him. His personality is all he has, and even that isn't very fantastic."

Terra snorted, the slightest of smiles rising to his lips. "I'd say…" he muttered, folding his arms across his chest. He glanced to the side. "But I understand, Aqua."

Her eyes brightened. "Really?" she gasped, stepping toward him. "You do?"

He nodded, his lips tightening a bit. He scratched his head, and gave her a tiny smile, one that was a tad fake, but it made Aqua beam non-the-less. "You really care for Vanitas… somehow. And I'm not surprised at all. Someone like you… someone with a heart as big and bright as yours… you can't help but caring for him."

Aqua stared at the older boy for a moment. Her shoulders began to tremble, and she looked down. "I do care for him…" she murmured. "But if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, don't. Please, Terra."

Terra glanced down at her, and snorted. A wide smirk appeared on his face. "Please, Aqua, who do you're talking to?" The smirk broke into a huge grin. "I'm not the jealous type of guy."

Aqua watched him, before giggling slowly. "No, I suppose not."

"Are you guys done flirting?" Ven asked with a small moan. "My heart can't take much more of it!"

"Shh, Ven, I was being smooth." Terra chuckled, elbowing the blond boy in the ribs lightly.

"No, you were being lame." Ven rolled his eyes, pushing Terra back playfully.

Terra scowled, and shook his head. "When did this kid begin to question my awesomeness?" he muttered.

Aqua grinned, giggling again. "Probably around the time he realized there was no such thing as the tooth fairy."

Terra frowned. "That's harsh…"

"Not really." Ven laughed. "But can we get back to the topic? I love chatting and all, but we've got some serious issues going on. I mean, there was a hole in my stomach about twelve minutes ago."

"Funny, Ven," Aqua murmured bitterly. "But you're right." She turned around toward Lightning. "I'm going to try and get Vanitas and Naminé to listen to us. Are you coming?"

Lightning watched her, her cool blue gaze calculating Aqua's intentions, making sure she was choosing correctly. Finally, the woman nodded. "I would like to believe that Naminé is a good person." She brushed a bit of pink hair from her eyes. "But I suggest you all get prepared to fight, because I have a feeling that's how this is going to end."

"The fantastic insight of Lightning…" Ven muttered, scratching his ear.

"I think you might be right, Lightning," Aqua murmured, thinking back to something Vanitas had told her once…

She hoped she was wrong.

"Let's sleep first," Hope suggested, looking up at Aqua with wide eyes. "If we fight… we'll lose. Even if everyone got healed… we're still really tired. I can tell you guys are dying to sleep."

"Do we have the time to wait a whole night?" Ven asked worriedly, looking up at Aqua. She nodded, and smiled gently at him.

"I'm sure a few hours of sleep will work wonders, Ven. Then we can kick Xehanort's butt without worrying about sleep deprivation."

Ven watched her, almost worriedly. He nodded slowly. "Yeah…" he murmured, looking up at the stars. "Right…"

* * *

_This chapter was done last night, but fanfiction was being douchey. Or, sorry, NEXT chapter was done. I always get confuzzled with that. _

_I told you guys this was a filler. It's not intense, or even very well written. It's just here to explain a few things, and lead into the crap that's coming up. Next chapter is better though. =D Fun to write too._

_So, my friend Vienna got into Doctor Who, but she started in the FIFTH season, so I've been all like, "Nuuu, nuu, nuu, this is not right. You're watching Doctor Who but you DON'T KNOW WHO THE MASTER IS. WTF. Nuu, we fix this." And then I basically spammed her with videos of Ten, because Ten is my Doctor. I mean, he was my first Doctor. Your first Doctor is special. But she really likes him too, from what she's seen. Cause he's got his brainy specks. XD_

_Also, July is going to be EPIC. I mean, I'm going to be sobbing my brains out when I get up on July 14th until I go to sleep July 15th (if my plans go the way I want, I'll be sleeping at night on July 15th, not in the morning. I want to pull an all nighter). Good lord, when I walk into that theatre... I'll be like, "Okay, Dani, deep breaths, come on, save your tears... *Sees Deathly Hallows Part 2 poster that doesn't even say the GODDAMN NAME OF THE MOVIE, because after ten years, I think we know what it's called. Fantastic. *Claps** AWAAAAAAAAAAAAWAHHHHH! *Wails*" And when I see the logo I'll be sobbing and squeeing, and laughing hysterically, because I don't know whether to be sad, or excited, or what, so my mind's just going to break down and make me giggle from the giddiness of seeing it all one last time. And then when I see Dobby's grave I'm gonna be like, ";.; Here lies Dobby, the greatest frakking elf that ever lived. I mean, SCREW ORLANDO BOOM!" And then, and then, with the dragon and shit, I'm gonna be like, "HELLS YEAH! THE BLIND ONES KICK ASS! LOOK AT MUSTANG AFTER THAT ONE THING HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE SERIES, YOU GUYS WHO HAVE SEEN IT KNOW ;D" And then when I see Hogwarts again I'm gonna be like, ":'D OMIGOOOOOOOD, HONEY, I'M HOME!" And then when I see Neville all badassy I'm going to scream, "NEVILLE, YOU BADASS, I LOVE YOU!" And then when the reunion comes... shit. Shit. SHIT. I'll be curled up in my seat bawling my eyes out with my sister. We'll probably be hugging each other, sobbing, "I-IT'S SO NOSTALGIC!" And then my other sister and my friend are going to be looking at us like, "Grrrrl you crazy!" And... well, you can imagine how I'll react to all the deaths. _

_I have a weak spot for Harry Potter. You'll probably never see me act like that ever again._

_Anyway, July is going to be epic, also, because PART FIVE OF FMA IS COMING OUT ON THE 26th! WHUUUUUUT! HELLS YEAH! I'm gonna cry for that too, but you know, only when Ed does. Cause I ain't a pussy, or nothin'. _

_Pffft. Okay, I'm done with the ranty rants. Leave a review, my dears._

_Next Chapter: The Supernova_


	61. The Supernova

**White Knight: Sixty One :The Supernova**

There was a breeze, but it only wavered her slightly. She was laying down, her arms and legs spread out. Her hair was splayed around her head like a golden halo, and her eyes were closed to the fake beauty around her, the too blue of the water, the dark greenness of the grass a few feet away. The sun twinkled, its white rays flashing out into the much too soft blue sky. She floated along, her lips opening, as if she wanted to say something, but her voice was not working.

Do you know what it's like to feel absolutely and totally alone? There's a hole in your stomach, and you can taste all those fears that had been bottled up in there previously in your mouth, because where else could they go? Your heart is closed tight, a shiny silver padlock on a chain winding round and round, the key that should have fit the hole inside the lock hidden somewhere unreachable. At the center of the earth the key burned, and turned bright red, setting fire to all your smiles and joy until you forgot all about it, and the only thing you could feel was that hole feeling like a heavy weight.

Drifting… drifting… because that felt better than thinking.

"That won't help you."

She opened her eyes. The flash of pure blue made everything go still. The breeze, the water around her, the rustling leaves. She took a deep breath, and brought herself up. Her hair fell against her back, cold and wet, sticking to her neck in long thick strands. She looked around, her legs jostling the frozen still water around her. She spotted the person speaking to her, a somewhat tall boy with black hair, and she tilted her head. He looked nice. What a peculiar eye color…

She blinked slowly, his face sending a bolt of recognition into her brain. She gasped, splashing around in the water for a moment.

"Vanitas!" she shouted, her eyes widening as she floundered toward the shore of the lake. Vanitas rolled his eyes as she crawled up the bank, shivering.

"I came to say goodbye," he said quietly, taking a look around the fake world. It was turning ugly. Barb wire curled around trees, and sprang up from the ground. The pristine water in the lake bubbled, and churned, and as if a single drop of artificial coloring had popped itself into it, the lake cracked. The actual sound lifted itself into the air, and Naminé stumbled from the lake, watching with a frightened gaze as the a spot of murky green began to spread across the previously gorgeous water.

"Goodbye?" Naminé murmured, her eyes caught on the lake's transformation.

Vanitas looked up at the sky. The sun twisted, flashing brightly in blueness as it coiled around itself, burning, and burning, and Vanitas shuddered, feeling its hot breath fall upon his face, and neck. It screamed, a literal shriek pulsing through the sky as the deep, blood red orb of fire churned over itself, crying as it tore itself apart.

"Think of that," Vanitas said, pointing to the swirling mass of bloody fire hissing and screeching inside the now burgundy sky, "as my heart in a few hours."

Naminé's head snapped to the side and she looked at him, her big blue eyes widening with fright. "What?" she gasped, the agonized sounds of the dying sun drumming in their minds, beating simultaneously with their hearts. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." Vanitas snorted, looking up at the sun. It spun, an arm of fire spinning into the air, twisting, pulling at itself, until it spiraled and crashed to the ground. Naminé screamed, the earth quaking beneath them as the fire hit the ground with godlike force.

"I have no idea," Naminé gasped, spinning around. The forest, the one that she had cut through earlier to get to the lake, was covered in that barb wired string, and shrapnel from long passed wars. The leaves were dead, crumpled at the bases of trees, black and dry, like they had suddenly turned to charcoal. Smoke arose from the pillars of twisted looking bodies, once pretty old trees, made for climbing and walking around, admiring. Naminé stared, her face twisting as the red from the fire began to seep through those wooden carcasses.

Vanitas grabbed Naminé's hand, and dragged her forward, his own face twisted in annoyance, and slight fear. This world was so ridiculously unpredictable. He hated it. He wanted it to be destroyed in this sudden series of grotesque disasters. It was idiotic, and annoying, and it was constantly changing.

It was quite a lot like Vanitas.

"What's going on?" she gasped, looking up at the sky as it spat a fiery chunk of its body down to the earth.

"The world's collapsing." Vanitas shrugged. "Your fault. You're forgetting."

"What are you talking about?" she gaped, before shrieking as she stumbled over some barbwire. She toppled to the ground, her shoulder scraping against another piece of wiry crap.

Vanitas shook his head, and looked around. The forest was still aflame, and it was spreading. He bent down, and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, we have to get back to the playground. I think that's the only place in this goddamn world that is safe from your creepy little head."

Naminé whimpered, clutching her arm as blood slid down it. "What are you talking about?" she asked, limping a bit as she tumbled forward.

Vanitas didn't answer. He simply continued walking, trying to avoid stepping on the rogue barbwire himself.

Soon he broke out into a complete sprint, his eyes going wide as the sound of the collapsing sun, and the burning forest became too much for his ears to handle. This was becoming a seriously shitty day. Couldn't he just waltz into the stupid playground without all these extra obstacles? This _was_ Naminé's head doing all this, right? It couldn't be normal for the whole entire world to be crashing around them. But then again, there was nothing normal about this world. He'd have to ask about it when he got back to the lab. Which, speaking of, he only had about ten more minutes to speak with Naminé, so this had to be a quick trip.

"Speed it up!" he barked, dragging her forward, his eyes narrowing. "Come on, pick your feet up, and don't step on this shit!"

"Vanitas…" she whispered, her fear outweighing her common sense. Not that she ever had any, the stupid girl.

"I _said_," Vanitas growled swinging her forward. "Speed it up!"

Her eyes widened a bit, and she nodded, her fear finally showing completely in her face. It was like a sheet had been thrown ever her head, because her skin was too pale, even for her, and her blue eyes were so wide, it was hard to believe they weren't popping out of their sockets and falling to the ground. Her hand was sweating, the one that he felt clutching his tightly, and it was shaking horribly. He continued to run, ignoring the blaring hisses, and booms of the dying star above them.

The grass below them, still green and full of life, began to grow. Rapidly, it shot up, jutting out of the ground to about his knees (her upper thighs), concealing the barbwire completely. Vanitas stopped running when he felt a stabbing pain in his right foot. Naminé slammed into his back, and cried out, jumping up and down while hissing. She obviously hit her foot again as well.

The grass curled, and from the tip down it began to turn a light shade of brown, a signal that it was dying. Like everything else.

Vanitas shook his head, and started forward once more. It couldn't be all that far. Just a little bit further…

The sun screeched in pain, as the deep red sky churned, and bubbled. Black spots popped against the redness, oozing darkness around the red and orange. Wine colored clouds swirled around, gaping holes shown in them from the fire spat from the bleeding thing above. Vanitas shook his head again. No more distractions!

They continued to run, stumbling on more barbwire and other metal sticking up from the ground. They were away from the forest now, and the long grass was thinning out into plain old dirt. Soon he could see the drab old playground, looking like a safe haven in this disgusting world of shit. Because despite the sun collapsing in on itself, and the forest burning to smithereens, and barbwire appearing from nowhere, and a lake turning into a waste dump, the park was exactly how Vanitas had left it. Dreary, and dull, and ugly.

The duo took a huge leap, crashing into the safe zone before it was too late. Vanitas felt her hand slip from his as he skidded across the pavement, the right side of his face burning suddenly from the movement. He would have to guess that a layer of his skin had brushed off during the slide. He muttered to himself, shaking his head as he sat up. Brush burns _killed_, he realized, raising his fingers to inspect the damage. The tips of his fingers barely brushed the top of his cheek bone before a sharp sting ran up and down his face. Vanitas quickly set his hand down, scowling slightly.

"You okay, witchy?" Vanitas asked, looking over to her. She was laying on the ground, trying to lift herself up with the arm that had been cut by barbwire. She managed to nod a little, her blonde hair bobbing as she struggled to push herself into a steady position. She was such a weakling…

"Here," he muttered, crawling toward her. He took her arm, the one that wasn't bleeding, and pulled her up to her knees. She looked up at him, and smiled gently. Vanitas didn't have the will or the dignity to smile back. He let her go, and stood up, dusting himself off. The sound of the sun was mute now. He looked up, and grimaced at the slate-gray sky, knowing that outside the playground's barriers the clouds were burgundy, and the usual blue of the sky was a deep, swirling crimson. The sun was orange, and red, its fiery breath hissing, crying out, and screeching as it was strangled of its life, the fire collapsing into itself.

Now all he saw was the sky's almost gentle swirl of gray, as if it were about to rain. The sun was darker, steely, and pulsing, and falling into a dark mass of black that was erupting from the very center of the star and flashing out. Vanitas stared at it, his heart beginning to drop, knowing that somewhere inside of Naminé there was a thought, a single thought of this happening— to him.

"I remember, now," Naminé said softly, standing as well. "I stabbed Ventus. Oh… Ventus…"

"Forget it." Vanitas shook his head. "Don't think about it. He's fine now."

Naminé bowed her head, and bit her lip. "Right…" she whispered. She looked up and gave Vanitas a very small, very loose smile. "You're a very good actor, you know."

Vanitas snorted, a small smirk appearing on his lips as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Years of practice, sweetie." Vanitas winked. "I totally have the evil villain thing down to a T."

Naminé smiled, and shook her head. "It's amazing how much you've changed…" she murmured, her eyes brightening.

Vanitas tilted his head. "Yeah, right?" He scratched his head, and looked up at the sun again. The turning, the ever quickening collapse of the mighty star was slowing. "That's all thanks to you, you know."

"Really?"

Vanitas gave her a sharp look. But when he looked at her face, he saw that she was earnestly confused. Her big blue eyes were wide, the brightness of them stinging in the stale gray of the old playground. And Vanitas knew finally, and for sure, that it was starting. Xehanort was already beginning his work. Which meant it wouldn't be long now…

Vanitas's eyes softened. Then they hardened. "Tch," he rolled his eyes, and looked up at the sky. "You're such a hopeless case, you know that?"

Naminé stared at him, before looking down, her pale face reddening a bit. "Oh," she murmured, scratching her cheek. "Sorry."

Vanitas shook his head, rolling his eyes again. "Hey, so, I think I have to say goodbye." He looked down at her, his face a complete mask of impassiveness.

"What?" she gasped, stumbling backward, and staring at him with a horrified gaze. "Why?"

"I'm not staying here, smart ass." He folded his arms across his chest. "I _can't_. This place… it's no place for someone as cool as me to be hanging around. Aqua would be simply _heartbroken_ if I didn't appear to greet her." _If she got the message right, at least. _

"Oh, that's right!" Her eyes brightened. "You love Aqua, don't you? Like how I love Ventus!"

Vanitas tensed at the word _love_. He hated to think about it. He couldn't love her, because she was a simply disgusting creature, made of happiness, and life, and light, and _goodness_. But at the same time, it all looked so beautiful from the view of a creature of darkness. He wondered, maybe this was what he needed all along. Something shiny, and pretty, and new that wouldn't break when he touched it. Was it possible for a person made completely of darkness to love?

"She cares about you too," Naminé said softly. "I'm sure of it."

Vanitas jumped, feeling a little shift in his stomach, a sudden fluttering tickling his insides. He swallowed, and looked down. "Coming from the girl who can barely remember her name, that means very little to me."

"It's the truth."

"The truth isn't fair," he hissed, his eyes ablaze as he kicked a rock into the air, watching it fly out of the safety barrier of the playground. It burst into flames on contact with the air, and dropped to the ground.

"Calm down!"

Naminé jumped, obviously not realizing there was someone else in the playground besides herself and Vanitas. She stared at the swing set blankly, her gaze falling on the silver haired boy lounging lazily on one of the wooden seats.

She tilted her head. "Hey, aren't you… Riku?" Her voice was distant, and her eyes unfocused as she pointed to him, her lips jutting out into a pout of confusion.

Riku's face mirror her confusion, and he looked to Vanitas. The dark haired boy shrugged. "You don't want to know," he said, sighing a little. "Trust me."

"I just… thought she was getting better. She seemed nice before." Riku stood up, folding his arms across his chest as he strode over to them.

"Yeah, yeah. Things are going funky." Vanitas waved him off. "Again, you probably don't want to know."

Riku studied the tiny girl closely, peering at her through his colorless bangs. Naminé's eyes widened, and she stepped back, glancing hurriedly at Vanitas.

"My father did something, didn't he?" Riku straightened, and scowled. "When I get out of here…"

"If that's a possibility," Vanitas pointed out, frowning. "I mean, no offense, but even if he's stopped from… doing what he's trying to do, your body…"

Riku slumped, and closed his eyes. He was a smart boy, he already knew what was happening to his body. It was sad… he never got to properly celebrate his eighteenth birthday.

And if he was correct with his theory of Aqua and Ventus coming to save the day…

Well, he probably never would be able to.

* * *

Xion walked into the lab, feeling her feet move automatically. Her eyes were serene, calm, and she walked slowly, carefully, as if she were treading on thin ice.

To anyone else, she looked utterly cool, and peaceful. But on the inside she was shaking in terror. Her feet moved without her consent. Her lips were clamped close, her jaw clenched in raw determination, determination that was not her own. She couldn't stop. She could barely breathe. She felt smothered inside her own body.

So this was how Naminé always felt…

Her feet glided across the floor, through each and every room. The operating room, the first room. The file room, the next room. The research room, after that. The extra space, the pods…

_Floating made her feel dizzy. She clutched her knees to her chest, her hair floating around her head in a black halo._

She continued past the pods, into a cold white room, there were three doors, one to her right, two to her left. She stared at them, her mind wandering again.

"_Ha ha!" the insane girl shouted, dancing around the newest arrival. "You look just like me! Look here, Vanitas, look, look!"_

"_I see," Vanitas observed, his golden eyes flashing with malice. "I say we break her into the family, huh?"_

_The blonde simply tilted her head, a silly smile resting on her lips. "You mean you want to hurt her?" She giggled, and looked at the black haired girl with foggy interest. "Silly rabbit! Hurting people is baaaad!"_

"_Exactly."_

Xion shuddered, and picked up her pace, her fear cracking through her hard exterior. She grabbed onto the door, and quickly entered the next room. The play room.

"_Color, color, color, color!" Namin_é _sang, her black crayon clutched tightly in her right hand. "Color-uller-uller."_

"_Will you stop that?" Vanitas muttered, tearing an arm off a baby doll._

_The blonde looked up, her big blue eyes wide. "Huh?" she asked, pouting. "You don't like my singing?"_

"_Quite frankly, no."_

_Her eyebrows furrowed. "Meanie!" She screeched, whipping her crayon at his head. He fell back, the crayon leaving a black dot just about his left eyebrow. He sat up, fuming. "Bitch!" he bellowed, on his feet and ready to knock her out._

_Xion simply watched from the shadows as Vanitas jumped across the table and pinned the girl to the ground._

Xion pushed past the ivory table, kicking away some stray dolls that were all destroyed by Vanitas at one point, and opened the next door. It lead into a twisting hallway. She walked slowly, ignoring the doors with bars, and the doors with strange windows that emitted a green light, and doors without doorknobs. She turned, and walked, and turned again, and walked, and opened a door, and walked some more…

And finally she reached that last lab. The one that truly mattered.

She walked into the room, her face impassive. The room was white, and the steel operating table in the center of the room stood out against the whiteness. There was a few rectangular boxes against the wall. She blinked slowly. She was here now, so where was…

"Hello, Xion."

She spun around, her eyes widening as her eyes fell on the silver haired boy leaning against the door she had just entered through. She stared at him, her mouth dropping open.

"Ri… Riku?" she gasped, stepping back.

"Not quite," he said, stepping toward her, his eyes flashing beneath the silver of his bangs. Xion froze, the deep gold of his eyes burning fire against her skin.

She stumbled backwards into the operating table. "No way…" she whispered, her stomach dropping.

He rose a perfect silver eyebrow, and his pale lips twisted into a sort of feral smirk. "Surprised? You shouldn't be. You should've known this would happen."

She shook her head, her eyes wide, staring at the man's face with utter horror. "No…" she gasped. "Riku… but… Riku…"

"He is my son," Master Xehanort chuckled. "I own this body just as much as I own my own."

"But Riku!" Xion shrieked, her voice sounding hysterical. She shook her head, raising her hands to hold her head steady. "Riku is…"

"Expendable."

"No!" Xion cried, tears forming in her eyes. "No, stop it! That's not fair! You could have any body in the Dark Region, so why take _Riku's?"_

"_Obviously _because it's the most similar to mine… or how mine used to be." Xehanort yawned, and waved her off. "Come now, I'm done with this nonsense. You always gave in easily. Now be a good girl and accept that this has happened."

She stared at him for a few moments. Her lips trembled, and she slid to the floor, her back against the table. A tear slipped from her eye and dropping onto her cheek. "But… Riku… Riku was my only real friend…"

* * *

_Whoo, I finished the next chapter last night, but it was too late to update. I'm sorry for the longer updates, guys. I'm graduating eighth grade in two weeks (wtfwtfwtfwtf), and it's all very hectic. Plus I have to start working Friday nights soon. -.- God help me._

_So, as I've been saying, we ARE close to the end. I swear. I just don't know how many chapters are actually left. I can't think that far ahead. I can, however, tell you that you need to soak up these chapters as they come, because I know I'm desperately trying to push this thing along to the ending. _

_I'd also like to give out a slight warning, next chapter is a tad... strange. I like it, and I adored writing it, but funky shit happens. _

_Alright, review, please? Yeah._

_Next Chapter: Origin_


	62. Origin

**White Knight: Sixty Two :Origin**

The white light that assaulted his eyes sent a crushing amount of pain into his skull. He cringed, huddling against the very back of his box, feeling its dark metal defense begin to crumble against the cruelness that resided just outside the tiny walls. He didn't want to go. Not yet.

"Come out, now, Vanitas," the man said, his voice betraying his amusement toward his behavior. "We have much work to do."

Vanitas listened as his breath rattled against the walls of his steel cage. A shudder ran through him, as if a ghost had placed its icy fingers against his spine and traced downward. Or was it a ghost after all? Maybe it was that… other being. The one he knew so well, that tasted his blood stained hands and laughed. The only creature he could ever fear, truly. The creature he could never see…

And so Death breathed down his neck, its white lips graced in a tight smile. Hadn't Vanitas met it before?

Vanitas swallowed, and crawled out of the tiny metal box, the hairs on his arms standing on end. He felt cold, though the dungeon was heated. Another little mark of cool and unforgiving hands…

Vanitas stood up, and straightening his back and pushing his fear to the depths of his soul. He wasn't going to go down like a coward. He was Vanitas. He knew what he had to do, and for _fuck's_ sake he was going to do it. This was his time for glory. He finally had something to live for, and if he had to lose his entire being to keep it real… _than so be it_.

"Hey, Xehanort." Vanitas winked, a cool smirk lifting up his lips. "Sexy as ever, if I do say so myself." Vanitas paused, his eyes sparkling a bit. "Not as sexy as me, but, hey, if I wasn't all for the females…"

"Vanitas, stop that foolish banter." Xehanort did not seem to be amused at all by Vanitas's stale attempt to flirt.

"You know, this might prove Braig's theory that I'd bang anything that moves." Vanitas grinned, and jumped up onto the operating table. "Come on, pretty guy, what do you say? Make-out session?"

Xehanort turned, his orange eyes sparking with dull annoyance, and a little bit of dry amusement. "You think you're funny, don't you, Vanitas?" he asked, his voice a subtle twinge of Riku's mixed with Xehanort's old bull-froggy vocals.

"Hello, lovely." Vanitas smirked. "Have you _met_ me?"

"You get more crude with every passing moment," Xehanort muttered, rolling his eyes.

"That's what happens when you've got nothing to lose, Mr. Pretty Face." Vanitas laid back on the operation table, stretching out his arms as they fell back onto the other side. His eyes widened as his fingers laced around something smooth, and thin, like a he had just ran his fingers through silk.

"Hello!" Vanitas gasped, tilting his head back all the way. He was greeted with a familiar face, and he realized he had just messed up a girl's hair. Didn't they hate that? … He just knew too many odd women.

"You. Look. Awful. Shit, Xion, did this old creep rape you while I was asleep?" Vanitas flopped onto his stomach, and peered closely at the tiny girl whose face mirrored Naminé's down to the very last pore in her skin. However her black hair and eyebrows gave that stark difference… the White Witch and the Black Puppet, twins almost uncannily. And yet, Vanitas felt an odd sort of difference between the duo. As the days drew on, he felt Naminé's outlandish personality grow softer, and Xion's indifferent mask shadowing fear and shyness breaks apart into something more, something kinder, something braver. Did they draw themselves from each other? Or was this just a simple change that was needed for the two girls to realize that they were much more than what they thought they were?

Xion shook her head, her big, red tinged eyes widening. She said nothing, however.

"Xion!" Vanitas whined, leaning closer toward her face, so his nose was nearly brushing hers. "Come on, babe, talk! I don't bite, you know…" He paused. "Kay, that's a lie, but, you know, I won't bite you. You'd taste awful."

Xion hiccupped something that might've been a giggle, if it wasn't for the fact that her eyes were now spurting out rivers onto her face. Vanitas watched her, feeling a light little twinge of emotion sticking to the inside of his stomach, spreading out its bubbly, oozing ways around his insides, into his chest.

Guilt.

"Look, don't cry." Vanitas sighed, gritting his teeth. The emotion was awfully annoying, like mucus sticking to his air pipes. He was finding it hard to breathe with that twitch that poked and prodded at his guts. "Come on, cheer up, you stupid girl. There's too much at stake for you to blow it on tears."

She stared at him, her lips trembling as her eyes widened. Maybe she wasn't expecting him to be so kind? Then again, who knew. But the look of utter shock on her face was bothering him. Couldn't she just live with it? He was a changed man. He didn't like seeing girls cry, because it made his insides get all gross, and squishy, and he thought it was kind of cute when Aqua or Naminé smiled, because it made the room flash with something else, like a pretty little light, and what difference was Xion? She was a girl as well, and a crying girl no less. He just wanted to make the nasty feeling go away, and what was pride if he felt like shit anyway?

"Quite right." Xehanort chuckled, flipping through some papers. "I don't want a puppet screwing up my plans. Especially when that puppet is the Key."

"Oooh, Key." Vanitas rolled his eyes. "Very important, yeah? Well why don't you make her _feel_ better, you jack ass, or else the damn thing isn't gonna unlock _anything_."

Xehanort looked at him sharply. His lips twisted, his teeth glistening in the ferociously bright lights from above the operating table. "Excuse me, Vanitas, what was that?" Xehanort asked, his voice breaking off into its rough tone of oldness. "What do you expect me to do with a blubbering girl?"

"Uh, golly gee!" Vanitas cried, sitting up to glare at the man. "I've got no clue, pops! Maybe, hmm… _make her happy_?"

Xehanort stared at him, his orange eyes flashing once again with something… very akin to amusement. Then he threw his head back and laughed. "Of course!" Xehanort shouted. "Because I want to focus all my time and energy into fixing the puppets petty problems!"

Vanitas's eyes softened as she noticed the girl flinch out of the corner of his eye. "You wanted a Key, and you got one," Vanitas whispered. "There's no use for a toy if you break it before you can play with it."

"Speak from experience?" Xehanort asked softly.

Vanitas tilted his head, an arrogant smirk reappearing on his lips. "Only yours, gorgeous."

This time the giggle that escaped Xion's lips was much clearer, full of a sliver of glee that only came from recovering sadness. And at this, that sticky old substance crawling around Vanitas's chest began to sear, burning itself down and replacing with a lightness that cooled his soul down, settling the ever blazing madness into a calm, heartbeat of a fire.

"That's the spirit, dolly." Vanitas clapped, grinning down at the black haired girl. "No more tears, we're gonna be happy and shit before we commit ourselves to hell."

"T-thank you," Xion choked, rubbing her eyes. "You're nice, Vanitas."

Vanitas felt that stab at his pride, but he ignored it, and kept his smile up. "Yep," he said, scratching his cheek. "I'm like a saint… until I'm like a demon."

"You aren't though…" Xion whispered. "You're really, really nice…"

"Time to work," Xehanort shouted suddenly, clapping his hands. "You! 14! It's time to work at my young little weapon's brain. Take her mind and work it to your own image. Do whatever you need to, but get inside her head and force control."

Xion cringed. Vanitas tilted his head, recalling her reluctance to reach inside the blonde's brain and control her. It hurt Xion. Her mind could never take the strain of Naminé's and they constantly battled for control. Xion could never take more than a few minutes of diving into Naminé's head, and after that she was left completely drained of energy. So how was Xion going to open this door when she could barely stand surfing the tides of the mind longer than five minutes?

Easy. That's why the playground existed. It kept Naminé's mind at bay while Xion pulled at the strings, taking Naminé out of her comfort zone and into the world of destruction. This was what Xion was made for. To pull the strings. The puppet doubling as puppet master to a puppet that wasn't a puppet at all.

Vanitas jumped off the table, and walked over toward the countertop.

Vanitas felt that he needed to convince Naminé some more, that she needed to give into Xion's will or else she'd inevitably kill the girl. But Then he realized there was no need— Naminé was losing herself in the pool of memories that didn't quite fit and memories that hurt too much to see. The effect of his new emotions caused her soul to take some major damage… at least, this is what he observed from the nifty Ansem report lying on the countertop, asking for Vanitas's prying eyes to scour it.

This would pass the time, he thought. Reading through Ansem reports.

Of course, they were a little boring, but it was nice to look over his existence before he left for good. His status as a Halfling, a being of in-between. How strange, to think of himself as a being of _in-between_. In-between what, exactly? The worlds? Life and death? What was he? Did they even know? It seemed like Ansem was just winging it with them, recording stuff as it happened. They were the first of their kind. The Halfling, the Fragmentation, the Replica. It was so silly about them. They just didn't belong anywhere… they weren't even the same type of freak. He, at least, had a hell of a lot of person in him. A whole half. Naminé had only taken a piece… just enough to keep the light at bay. And Xion was no one. She was her, but with bits of Naminé churning inside her skull all the time, and Kairi poking her nose in her heart, as well. She was like a patchwork quilt of different people. No wonder her personality was so meek. She didn't know how to act.

And then, he wondered, what about the playground. It had been around for a long while… as long as he could remember, anyway. That lonely place where the swing set was about to collapse, and the slide was just a long thin sheet of hot metal, dented and slightly rusty. Ghosts of children's laughs were etched upon the play things, and yet the three freaklings were the only kids who had ever even stepped foot in the mysterious world. So why did it feel like he was feeling a thousand different kids running through the park of dreammare, where dreams and nightmares collide into a lonely happiness, crushing the spirit, yet lifting the soul.

"I can't do it…" Xion murmured, her fingers pressed against the side of her skull as she concentrated all her energy into Naminé's brain. Vanitas looked at her, setting down the reports.

"That's fun," Vanitas muttered, scratching his head. "Uh, so what's the problem?"

Xion gritted her teeth, and slunk backwards into the wall. "Her mind is too fragmented right now," Xion whispered, her eyes squeezed in concentration and maybe slight pain. Vanitas snorted a little. "I can't get into her head when her thoughts are all messed up."

"Try cutting through them," Vanitas suggested. Xion simply shook her head, her fingers clenching against her skull. "It's not simple like that… I can't… I can barely tell what thoughts are mine… If I just mow down everything in my path…"

"You might destroy some things, right?" Vanitas murmured, feeling thoughtful.

Xion gritted her teeth again, hunching over, and rocking back and forth. "She has so much to tell…" she whispered. "But she can barely compose a regular thought. It's like everything she ever was, or ever tried to be is breaking away from her…"

"Be careful, Xion," Xehanort warned. "Don't get lost inside her head."

For a moment, Xion lost all focus. Her eyes snapped open, and she looked at Xehanort, her mouth opening. Vanitas noticed something in her eyes, something he knew well. Affection. Hope. And then suddenly despair.

The more he watched her, the more Vanitas knew. _She's the same, then?_ _Becoming attached to a normal person. _He wondered if they were really that predictable, that they all had some form of attachment toward a normal human being. Naminé and her Ventus. Him and the girl who loved to loathe him, Aqua. And then Xion. She and the lost one, Riku. Poor Riku. Never had a chance, though.

Vanitas walked toward her, and bent down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey," he whispered. "Don't stress about it. Focus on something in her mind. The strongest thing you can find, grab onto it. That should keep you in there."

Xion blinked slowly, and looked up at him in awe. She obviously never thought of this. She nodded quickly, and closed her eyes. Soon her fingers were pressed against her temples, and she was murmuring to herself, things that popped up as she surfed through Naminé's mind.

"_Scissors, Ventus, Pillow, Ventus, Sleep, Ventus, Sleep, Ventus, Sleep, Ventus, Sleep, Ventus, Sleep, Ventus._"

_I wonder if she slept with him…_

This was the only thing that popped up in his own head as he listened to her rant.

Suddenly, Xion went blank. Her face, previously contorted with pain, simply went devoid of all emotion. No sadness, or smiles, or annoyance, or pain. Just total emptiness. Vanitas watched her, his interest in this mind reaping thing rising with every passing moment. Xion's blank gaze probed at his curiosity, and he wondered how exactly she pushed herself into the mind of the young blonde girl.

"Wow…" Vanitas muttered, waving his hand in front of her face. She didn't bat an eyelash. "What happened?" He looked up at Xehanort expectantly. The man observed from afar, his dark orange eyes gazing at Xion with sick interest.

"She's jumped into a deeply emotional memory." He chuckled. "It hasn't happened in… quite a long time."

Vanitas rose an eyebrow, and looked back at Xion. Her mouth was open slightly, and her eyes were still ever lost in whatever emotional experience that Naminé carved into the back of her mind, then covered with a dark sheet. He wondered idly what the memory was that the girl had suppressed. Then again, it was Naminé. It couldn't be all that great.

"Vanitas…" Xion breathed, her breath rattling slightly.

He was wrong.

"Whoa," he murmured, his eyes widening. "Does this memory have me in it?"

"It's possible," Xehanort said, a chuckle rising in the man's throat. "You were quite the object of nightmares, back in the day. Now you're no more frightening than a field mouse."

Vanitas felt his words take a nice chunk of his pride, and this shook him deep to the core. He watched Xion closely, her cool, blank eyes boring into his own fiery ones. He reached other slowly, his pale fingers edging toward her face. Xehanort noticed this quickly.

"I wouldn't touch her," the man warned, his eyebrows raising. Vanitas had no intention of listening of course. He knew what he was doing… at least he thought he did.

His fingers brushed the soft skin of her chin, and he felt himself being dragged forward, though his body stayed still. It was like standing at the edge of the ocean while the tide rolled in, and pulled back again. The sand moved beneath your feet, making you feel like you were being guided forward, yet you were standing completely still. He felt his soul sway, and cry out as it was pulled from its body, swirling around inside the mind of the tiny puppet girl. He felt like he was falling down, rapidly diving from the heavens, waiting to plant himself into the ground. It wasn't like anything he had ever felt before, not really. No emotion compared to this massive run of thoughts cramming themselves into his brain, and his consciousness invading hers. He could taste her thoughts in his mouth, fear of losing something precious tingling on his tongue.

What _was_ this? It wasn't pleasant… not in the least. But the thoughts were too much to ignore, so he let them in. Hope, and sorrow, and loneliness swirled around him, brushing up against his soul like small wispy kittens. And at the same time he felt _his_ emotions, piles of anger, and hate, and self-loathing slam down on the girl. He felt her fear, as it rushed through his head, spiraling through it until it reached his mouth, settling with great bitterness on his tongue. She couldn't take all of it, he realized. She wasn't strong enough. She was feeling all of his doubt, all of that crushing doubt and malice spinning around her would drive her mad.

And then, he felt the sharing of thoughts stop. He was in her head now, staring in a cloud of darkness, through a grimy window into the mind of yet another. He felt screams quake the fabric of his soul. Light little girlish screams, crying out for something to stop. What was this?

_Why are you here?_

Vanitas jumped, and looked to his side. There stood Xion, her impish face gleaming like it was made of marble. Most of her features were blotted out and some kind of light that glowed around her body, diminishing a lot of her features. Her eyes and mouth remained, but her nose was barely seen over the glow.

Vanitas tilted his head, his mouth opening. He realized quickly that this was _mind_ chat. So he had to think up an answer.

_I wanted to know why you said my name,_ he thought, his eyes narrowing at her. He knew he'd be able to intercept her little puppet act, but he hadn't realized they would search each others' brain first.

Xion watched him, her bright blue eyes widening. They too cast a strange sort of glow inside the grayish darkness. She looked him over, her eyes fearful at first. Then, she sighed, and turned toward the foggy window. She held her hand out toward him, the gleaming white of it making his eyes hurt. Slowly, he reached forward, and grasped it in his own. It was cold, disgustingly cold, but soft. He tightened his grip on her, feeling his own hand sink into hers. She winced, and Vanitas felt a chill run through him. He was burning her. He looked down at his hand, and noticed immediately that it seemed to be aflame. Black flames had sprouted from his skin, like thick wavering hair. Yet it was a subtle type of fire. He could still see his skin, and he didn't feel it at all. But the contrast between them was too great. Her skin, fair as silk and cold as ice, his darkened by the fires of his heart, burning hot with all his desires and regrets. How did this come to be? Their appearances seemed to be reflecting their conflictions.

For a few moments they stood, hands interlocked, before the real shudder started. Running through his body was and icy stab of isolation, and a little guilt, floating around his head, screaming words that made no sense. Scratching at the inside of his brain were words all too familiar, yet the feelings that pulsed through him were not his own. These emotions ripped fresh wounds over his heart, tearing up the insides of his lungs as he tried to breath. Nothing came in. Imaginary blood pooled up his throat, and he gurgled at the taste of it, metallic, bitter to the extent of cringing, and colder than a glacier.

He felt her feel the same, only with a difference in emotions and temperature. Instead of icy guilt there was white hot flashes of malicious thoughts, and the taste of blood caused a tingle of pleasure down her spine. Hate and anger turned hot with a sting of those emotions he had suppressed for so long, love, and happiness, and remorse, and all those things that made his stomach queasy. They burned with the same intensity as his hate and anger, scorching the cold shell that was Xion's skin.

When the initial shock died down, the duo stared at each other, mouths gaping in horror, and confusion. They had just given each other a very personal inside look about how their emotions were working, and it made both of them feel _very_ violated. Swallowing, Xion tightened her grip on Vanitas's hand. He expected another wave of guilty emotions to wash over him, but nothing happened. He relaxed, and closed his eyes, feeling her pull him forward, toward the musty window.

She pulled him through the thing, just right through it, as if it were air. He felt the strangest sensation of walking through a cobweb, a sudden itching crawling over his skin.

_Look,_ Xion thought, her cool fingers interlocking with his. _This is what I was looking at when I spoke._

Vanitas opened his eyes. He felt it all before he saw it. The initial panicking of a child, the sadistic air about the doctors in the room, the total bloodlust of one, the curiosity of another, the fear that crushed another child. But seeing it was a lot worse. The bustling of scientists, and the screaming of a tiny blonde, and…

_Oh._

Xion nodded. _Do you see now? _she asked, staring at the scene that was unfolding. Scientists were pinning down someone… someone who looked eerily like Vanitas. But it wasn't, he realized. He was a brunet. A flailing brunet who was getting a needle jammed into his arm. He went limp about ten seconds later.

The events that came after this astonished him. He watched as the scientists restrained the young Naminé, gag her and force her to watch as the boy was stripped and drawn on. Vanitas felt sick watching as a series of syringes were inserting into the boy's body, for the most part around his chest. He should have been restrained, with the thrashing that started soon after the syringes struck skin. He convulsed, his arms and legs twisting violently as he began to scream. Pained, fearful screams, cutting through the air. Then, he began to call out names.

"**RIKU**_! _**KAIRI**_!"_

Vanitas couldn't look away. He simply watched as the boy's skin bubbled, and melted against the metal, and suddenly the bubbles turned into limbs. Out of his chest, flesh still sticking to the melting skin of the boy, another boy, identical to the one laying on the table, pulled himself away. His arms were still attached to the other boy's and they stared at each other, one full of utter terror, and pain, the other with honest interest, and sharp curiosity.

_This is how you came to be, Vanitas._

* * *

Ha, so I totally intended for the end to be a LOT more gory than it is now, and then I realized while writing it that it was already pretty sick. And I add onto it in the next chapter. :D I honestly liked writing it too. I need help, I guess.

_Plot development? Or character development? I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE. I write whatever comes out, kay? Hopefully there are more answers than questions in this one? GOD. I know it's confusing, but bear with me! I have no clue what it's like for a person who DOESN'T know how it ends. And making up explanations for shit as I go along is the best I can do. O.O Seriously. It's all I do anymore. I think I'll get back to the actually story of it all soon. Next chapter, no. The chapter after that? Maybe._

___I'm beginning to like Xion more. Can you tell?_

_____GOING TO CANADA THIS WEEKEND! *Dances* First time going since my Grandma died. -.- I hope it doesn't feel as empty as it did in March. But, anyway, I get to see my cousin again, which is always fun, even though she's like, a year younger than me, and she looks like she's sixteen. -.- WTF. Why are you so tall? Why are you so damn pretty? Waaah. I am so obviously jealous of my cousin. But I have the better personality, so I guess that's good. I mean, no offense to her, she's nice, and everything, but she's your classic popular girly girl. I love her, but come on. You'd do anything if it was cool._

______Summer's coming, and I'm going to be writing a novel. Dunno what it's about yet. But Angel, Vienna, Chris, and I have a deal that we're writing novels this summer. Hopefully Angel will get back to fanfiction too, but who knows.

_Whenever I update again? Review! And don't ask stupid questions, please. I'M TRYING MY BEST TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON!_

___Next Chapter: The Undeniable Truth_


	63. The Undeniable Truth

**White Knight: Sixty Three :The Undeniable Truth**

His mouth went dry. He remembered now. This was… his birth? Could he call it that? But he remembered, so, so clearly, the ripping sound that echoed in his brain as he pulled farther and farther away from his host. The melted flesh that dripped down his arms as his limbs grew from Sora's, like he was copying the image of him. It was as if he were pulling himself out of a mirror. But it stung. The air was fresh, and choking, and it stung his eyes to see. He was crazed at that point. His curiosity turned to terror as the new world flashed around him, the cold air scratching his slowly growing skin. He had his own hands now… his fingers ached as they were torn from Sora's own, the skin growing over the soft muscle. Sora was healing as well, though his skin took longer. There was splotches of deep red muscle showing beneath loose, melting skin. He looked like a rotting corpse, holes exposing muscle and bone.

_No,_ he thought. _Oh, God, no. This is…_

He watched as someone yanked his twelve-year-old body from the table, and shoved it in a moth bitten towel. By then he felt the crushing weight of humanity unfold on top of him. The lights of the laboratory spun, and blurred. He saw it through his younger self's eyes as the scratching of his own voice hissed in his mind.

_**EVIL. EVIL. EVIL. EVIL. **_

The bitterness of life pulled at his new heart, and twisted inside his head. It tasted like a mouthful of sand, and the scents of the lab sent him spiraling. Lights. Too many lights. And the smell of the liquid that had created him… it was crushed salt in his nose. He wanted to scream, and tear at his new skin. Tear it to shreds, go back, go back, go back, leave, go back.

And suddenly his fingernails were pulling the new flesh from his face. He screamed at this… it made him feel bad. He felt bad. It… it hurt. What was this? Hurting? What… did that mean?

A wave of unbelievable pain tumbled through his body, throwing him at the wall. His skin sizzled, and dripped to the floor. He was dying now. His body couldn't take it. It was too new, too new, too new, too new.

Screams echoed around him. They weren't only his. The scientists were thrashing around him, tearing at their faces in a similar fashion as he was. He tossed his head back, and howled as his skin began to burn off his bones. They howled with him. His pain was their pain.

He began to murmur to himself as his fingers clutched his burning face. He didn't like this. He didn't want this. He just… he didn't know. He didn't understand. How? Why? What? Tears stung in his eyes, and dark spots dotted his vision. Too much, too much. Something filled his mouth, something warm and sticky. He shuddered as it dribbled down his chin, and he coughed, hissing as his throat felt like it had just been clawed at by a panther. The nasty sticky stuff that had been in his mouth spilled out onto the floor, and he collapsed, exhausted, as the pain settled deep into his bones.

Vanitas gurgled, feeling his body go completely limp. The dark splotches that dotted his vision swelled, enveloping everything. The pain was growing to be to much to handle. He… he wanted it to go away…

"_No!" _he rasped. _"I don't want to die!"_

But everything went dark anyway. He was suddenly very lost. Was it over? Had death finally decided to pick him up?

_Vanitas!_ Xion screamed into his mind, her voice strained with traces of pain. _Get a hold of yourself!_

And suddenly he felt himself return to reality… or the reality that was inside of Xion's head. He was in his own, fifteen-year-old body. That was all that mattered. His skin clung to his muscle, despite the dark fire that was bursting from it. He didn't feel the pain anymore. But the ghost of it still stung his skin, and he could almost feel his flesh begin to slid down his face and arms.

He squeezed Xion's hand, and she exhaled sharply. He remembered… quite a bit…

_Xion, was that real?_ he asked her, images of the memory sweeping through his head, and tearing through hers. He felt her go rigid as she was forced to watch the replay. _Is that really how I came to exist?_

He stood there for a long while, letting it all sink in. Xion took in his fear, and pain, unable to move away from his tower of suppressed emotion. Then, finally, he looked down at her. Her face was stark, shining eerily in the darkness with fear gleaming on the very stitching of her softly glowing skin. She was so stiff, he thought his emotions had her paralyzed in pain.

_Xion?_ Vanitas asked after a small while of silence. She was frozen, her lips trembling as wave upon wave of restless pain swept across her. Was this how it worked? Did he give off emotion, and she… took it in? Or was she just a natural receptor for dredged up thoughts and feelings?

The weight of humanity was crushing them both now.

He pried his fingers from hers, and felt the entire world shift. It wasn't a pleasant feeling at all. Because all of that pain that Xion intercepted snapped _right_ back into place inside Vanitas's heart, where it belonged, under lock and key.

He was laying on his back. No longer inside the mind of the girl, he felt the taste of his fear inside his mouth, the sour saltiness, like his tongue was secreting sweat. He was panting, he realized, his breaths quick as he tried to grab as much air as possible and keep it deep in his lungs.

… What had just happened? He had… touched Xion, yes. And then he saw into her mind. And she saw into his. How on earth could that even be possible?

He coughed, his throat dry. He could still taste remnants of long gone blood. He faintly heard the tiny gasps of Xion, who seemed to be in the same shape as him. He… found this oddly unsurprising.

Vanitas sat up, snapping his eyes open. Xion was shuddering, huddled against the leg of the operating table. Her eyes were huge, fear leaking from them and finding refuge on her cheeks. He felt the warmth of tears on his own flesh as well… had he been crying?

"What was that…?" Xion whispered, her voice hoarse. Vanitas imagined what was whirring through her head at that moment… his tiny twelve-year-old body melting on the ground, spitting blood through his teeth.

Vanitas shook his head, his own fear welling in his stomach. That was the most excruciating thing he ever felt. The weight of all the world, humanity plunging into his heart, and the burning. His skin melted off his bones. How did he survive that…?

Xion cried out suddenly, and Vanitas felt himself dragged back to reality. His eyes widened, as he watched Xehanort sweep down, capturing Xion's chin between his thumb and index finger. Her eyes suddenly were filled with terror, and Vanitas swallowed, watching as her mind was ravaged by the old man rotting in a young body.

"What the shit…" Vanitas muttered, wiping his cheeks to get the tears off. Xehanort stood there for a few moments, his fingers locked tight around her chin. She looked so scared, and helpless, Vanitas almost pitied her. But he was a bit too preoccupied with his own emotions at the moment.

Then the man released her, standing up straight. Xion slumped, and began to cough, more tears escaping her wide blue eyes. The cough was violent, and it became wetter as it continued. She shook her head, hurriedly covering her mouth with her hand. Vanitas watched, wondering if she felt the dribble of imaginary blood on her chin.

"What just happened…?" he murmured, his voice sending long drags on his raw throat, like cat claw. "Xion?"

She simply shook her head, tears building in the corners of her eyes. She felt sick. So did he. Maybe she felt sick because he felt sick, or maybe he was sick because he caught onto some wispy, fleeting thought inside her head about being sick. Maybe they shared their sickness simply because of their shared thoughts, and feelings. Or maybe this had nothing to do with either of them, just the existence of that single touch, where all his thoughts pumped into her head, seeping through an opening— a trap door, if you will— that in usual situations is shut tight. But Xion and Vanitas… no, they weren't classified as 'usual' situations.

And so it began to dawn on him exactly the amount of sheer power he was emitting from himself. He felt his emotions roiling around him, staining the air with anger, and frustration, and soppy pain that made the taste of the air thick and wet. It made his head spin, and dance as his emotions leaked from cracks laid in the surface of his heart. He thought, this wasn't right, was it? This made no sense.

And then it suddenly all made sense. Why all his good emotions had been inside his heart for _so long_ yet he could never reach them. Not until a certain blonde came into the picture and tore open his heart. He remembered now, you see. It was as if someone had built a barrier of ice around certain memories. He saw it in his head. The thick, smooth dome of frozen water, keeping all his squicky memories at bay. The fires of his heart stirred, and roared at the thought of this sort of abomination living so close to it. But Vanitas didn't care now because he _saw_.

_Her face blank, and stark pale against the darkness inside his room. Her eyes focused on dealing with his head, the cold touch of her mind numbing his own. He was dazed in a sudden shock, as sharp, idle fingers flipped through his memories like pages of a worn book. Nimble, but careful not to tear anything, she raced through all his pleasures, killing, maiming; the very epitome of his sadism settling in the palm of her hand, like a small, frightened animal. It begged for safety. It did not want to be destroyed. And yet she banished it. _

_It was then she began carving. Her fingers traces the star along his chest, and he felt nothing. He was floating in the darkness of his mind, his body stiff and unreachable. He felt his happiness whisper to him. __**KILL THEM ALL.**__ The thought made his finger tips tingle. This was what he lived for! His whole entire being relied on this, the thirst for agony, the lust for blood. He was a monster, and he loved it with all his heart and soul. _

_Until those icy little fingers sunk deep into his heart, deep, deep into his fire filled heart, and _tugged_. He felt it all tumble back into place, filling the empty holes in his heart. Long lost pieces to the puzzle he had given up solving _long _ago. And he realized exactly why just then. It was because it hurt. So much, so damn much. He felt the ebb and flow of normal emotions mixing into his selfish, predictable ones. He felt sadness for his existence, and he felt joy for it as well, and some other things like, confusion, and dismay, and fear crowded that little pocket of thought. Then he thought about his past. Pain, horror, fear. They pounded in his head, in his ears, and flooded into his mouth. Wet and metallic, sharp and tart, and that familiar salty flavor like sweat slicked skin against his tongue. It burned his thoughts right down to cinders. He wanted none of this! He hated emotions, hated them! He never wanted anything like… like _this_!_

_His screams were drowned by her commands, her voice clipped, and void of her own emotions. She forced his emotions, all of them, up over his head, and a waves of them washed into his mouth. Deciet, and anger, and frustration. Bitter tea, maybe, and hot rocks, and gritty tar. He tasted it all. His emotions piled up over him, and drowned him. He felt the overwhelming rush of the waves, as they mimicked the real ocean. Slamming a force of new feelings like happiness, and hope that swelled up inside him, whispering comfort, and calm; drawing back almost immediately, a fleeting emptiness crossing his taste buds before a new wave of alien emotions pushed back into his mouth. He could feel his entire body going limp, and then thrashing at the frenzy of tastes, then going limp again. It was unbearable. His heart thundered in his chest, slamming into his ribs as it begged for mercy. But he was continuously drowned by the hurt, and sorrow, and remorse. So much remorse. So much pain. _

_It built, and doubled up. Springing from his tongue, latching onto the emotionless girl, his rogue emotions pulled at her soul, beckoning to take part. This killed him. _

_Quite literally._

_He felt all the emotions rush into him at once. All of them. _

_Every single one._

_And he felt his heart all but shatter._

_His heart had stopped when her concentration broke. She told him so, when he woke up again, confused, unsure of his own name. He saw her face, stricken with his pain, and her own guilt, washed with trickles of sweat, and _oh_, his head…_

_Her face was as stark as it had been earlier. But instead of emotionless, her eyes were flashing with a million different emotions, few of which were her own. She was holding a little knife, but this didn't bother Vanitas, no, not at all. He was too confused. His heart hammered, and he wondered why. This made no sense. What was happening? What had _happened_?_

"_I'm sorry," she gasped, her eyes holding all the terror in the world. This was her. This was her emotion, not his. "Oh my God, what did I just do? I'm so, so, so sorry." Tears welled up in her eyes, and she shuddered, coughing. "Ow… I… ow. I think… I stopped it, uh…" Her eyes darted around the room frantically. "Oh God. What did I do? I can't remember. I can't remember any of it. Oh shit, oh shit, oh…" she grabbed her head, and shook it viciously. "Think! Think! Kairi—" she stopped herself short. "Oh. That's not me, is it?" _

_Vanitas blinked at her, and his head lolled to the side. He was propped up against a wall. His heart hammered against his ribcage, thumping endlessly in his ears. What had happened? His heart had stopped, yes? How on earth was he still _alive_, then?_

"_I think…" she whispered, her pale face glistening with sweat. "I think you'll be alright. I don't know. I'm not sure exactly what I just did, but I think… I think it might've been bad. Oh…" she moaned, rolling her head in her hands. "I don't like this. I can't remember my name. I think I did something bad. Did I do something bad?"_

_Vanitas stared at her, unsure how to respond. His tongue was heavy, and it laid uselessly at the bottom of his mouth, waiting for use. _

"_I…" the girl's fearful and confused gaze shifted, and suddenly it was all emotionless monotony again. "Never mind," she said, her voice calm, and cool, so unlike it was seconds before. She reached forward, her fingers lying against his chest, and pain erupted inside his heart, exploding through his chest, and up his neck, and into his head, until he saw stars. "Go to sleep. I will be here in the morning to begin fixing you."_

_Dark splotches wrestled with his vision, until he gave into them. The entire world faded into oblivion, and…_

And Vanitas thought he could finally understand some things.

For instance, why he was dying. This made sense now. Or at least it made more sense than it did before. Obviously Naminé dredged up some nasty memories, and emotions, but she didn't create them. No, he thought, smiling distantly. She wasn't powerful enough to do that. She could, however, manipulate emotions that were there. He saw now. He understood. This was what she was made for.

And he? He was still just a pawn. But a pawn that had to be put into a box? His entire self had been hidden from him for most of his life! And he wished it had stayed that way, but _shit_, it felt good to know! For once in his life, he understood! He knew now how he had been created, and why his emotions had been suppressed, and…

His strange little power was now beginning to bother him.

Because… he now understood, on some level, that he had a way with his emotions. There were obvious cracks in his heart… and his emotions were disgustingly prominent, and kind of powerful on a ridiculous scale.

So, somehow, some way or another, other people felt what he felt, when he was _really_ feeling. When he felt like he was radiating with anger, it was because he _was_. His anger actually radiated off him. Waves of anger. But they only felt it in small amounts. The people around him weren't as exposed to it as they should be because… it had been suppressed, like his memories and emotions?

Well that was fine and dandy. He'd rather not have the entire world pick up all his goddamn feelings. They'd just hate him more if they understood his plight.

But they still felt some of it. This troubled him. It troubled him greatly… for one reason, particularly…

"Xehanort?" Vanitas's voice was calmer now. Xion was still trying t catch her breath, but she was collecting her bearings as well. The cracks in his heart were bigger now. Much bigger. His emotions were pouring out. And she was, of course, a natural receptor for these things. She picked up his calm and ate it right up.

Xehanort smiled tightly at the dark haired boy, that all knowing smile that made him look like he was God, or something.

The annoying thing about Xehanort, though, was that he was one of those people who really did seem to know everything. Maybe even about what Vanitas and Naminé had tried to do back in the clearing. The boy knew it was a long shot that he'd be able to pull it off, and that this might just end up getting Aqua and Ventus killed in the process of it all, but hey, they'd probably die anyway, so whatever. It wasn't really his problem now.

"Yes, child?" Xehanort asked, his pale eyebrows raising as his smile grew wider. Bastard needs to get a serious kick in the nuts.

"So, what the hell is up with the mind sex me and black beauty just had?" Vanitas asked leaning back. He glanced at Xion, and smirked with satisfaction. She was blushing alright. Gotta love it when that happens.

"What you two just shared is nothing like sexual intercourse—"

"Nah, of course not. It's way better." Vanitas winked at the tiny girl, and barked a laugh as she flushed a deep red. "But in all seriousness, Mr. Body Snatcher, what the _hell_ happened?"

Xehanort looked at him, the man's orange tinted eyes narrowing. Then with an odd little roll of the head, he sighed. "Simply put, she was trying to dig into the consciousness of a very complex individual, whom she was partially born from—"

"Partially?" Vanitas asked, an eyebrow raising. "Oh, juicy, am I the daddy?"

Xehanort glowered at him. "No, actually," he said, waving his hand. "I took Naminé's genes and mixed them with a small bit of Kairi's and Sora's."

"Shit, I never get lucky!" Vanitas leaned back, and pouted. "Oh well. That just makes the mind sex less creepy. Huh, Xi-Xi?" He chuckled, feeling proud of himself as the girl turned completely crimson. He was on such a goddamn roll!

"Inappropriate as always, Vanitas," Xehanort muttered.

"You stole your son's body, gorgeous," Vanitas said, his eyes sparkling. "That's more inappropriate than anything I've done… in awhile."

"As I was saying," Xehanort coughed, glaring down at Vanitas, "Naminé is a complex individual, making Xion one as well. This gives her a certain… power. She's very in tune to emotions, quite like you and Naminé are—"

"So you admit that I have freaky voodoo powers too!"

"_Please_, Vanitas, hold your tongue or I will cut it off." The threat in his tone was actually chilling. "As I was saying, she is very in tune with emotions. Her own, however, are quite displaced. I suppose that's why she was such an antisocial little thing… she can't be around too many people for very long. Venturing out for Gatherings was her limit. She's been doing much better recently, isn't that right?" Xehanort's eyes flickered to the black haired girl on the floor. Her hand was still over her mouth, and her face was still quite red. But this didn't stop her from glaring up at the man.

"Please…" she whispered, her fingers quivering above her lips. "Please just stop."

Xehanort chuckled, and continued, despite Xion's plea. "She gets overwhelmed with emotions sometimes. You should know how that feels, as I've been informed… So as I was saying, she is unique. Her power enables her to delve into the very depths of Naminé's mind, even control her. The puppet master, if you will." Xehanort frowned. "Well, continuing my point…"

"What point?" Vanitas hissed through his teeth. Xehanort was oblivious to this comment, however.

"Taking her power to pull in emotions, and distribute her mind, she is able to manipulate Naminé's. At this moment, she is very vulnerable, and her mind is very open to see. You figured this out, though, hmm? That's why you touched her?"

"Well," Vanitas said, smacking his lips, "I wasn't exactly expecting my mind virginity to be taken, but yeah, I kind of was trying to split her head open."

"Mind virginity?" Xion muttered, her eyebrows knitting together as if she were confused. But she seemed to be just skeptic. Silly girl.

"Well, when you touched her, your… 'power'… it made your mind completely open to her. And since her mind is automatically open for you…"

"Mind sex." Vanitas whistled, still slightly confused. "Got it."

"Please stop calling it that."

Vanitas simply shrugged, and leaned back, his thoughts drifting away. His power…

"So…" he said slowly. "My… 'power'. I think… it's like… I can make people feel what I feel?"

Xehanort sighed, and gave him a slight nod. "It won't help you much."

"No, it kind of seems like a waste of a super power. Like hell I want people in my head. Especially…" Vanitas trailed off. He looked down, and licked his lips in annoyance, picking at his fingernails. He didn't want to think about it…

But Xehanort was like a mind reader.

"Did you honestly think," the man asked, real laughter tipping at the edge of his voice, "that she could ever _truly _love _you_, abomination?"

Xion looked up at this. She looked over at Vanitas, her eyes widening. She knew all about his affections for the blue haired maiden. It was written all over his head, and carved deep into his heart.

The man flung his head back suddenly, his laughter very similar to Vanitas's. But Vanitas couldn't think much about joking. He felt…

So, so disappointed. So hurt, and disappointed, that Xion edged toward him as Xehanort turned to walk out of the room.

"I'll be back in an hour, children," he called. "Get ready for the end!"

Xion took Vanitas's hand as the man walked out.

_Don't listen to him, _she whispered in his head, her voice a floaty whistle-like sound. _He's a liar._

Vanitas looked at her, his good emotions murmuring at him to smile, and show his appreciation for her kindness.

But he wasn't up for it.

He tore his fingers from hers and scooted away from her. He wasn't really in the mood for mind sex, and since he had already seen all he needed to from Xion's mind, it was more like mind rape on her end. It was then the idea of it began to freak him out.

Xion stared at him, her blue eyes softening. "Vanitas, he really is a giant liar. He's lying, can't you see?"

Vanitas snorted, and leaned his head back against the leg of the table. He turned to Xion, and gave her a small, sad smile.

"No," he whispered, a half laugh escaping his lips, "he's not."

* * *

_Lots of things have happened since the last time I updated! (Oh, and I really like this chapter, FYI)_

_Okay, so, let's begin. I went to an Amusement Park about a week and a half ago, asked a really adorable kid from Maryland (he did not tell me this) for his name (because my friend was creepily stalking him, and taking creeper photos of him while in line for a roller coaster). It was Luke, by the way, and I know his last name because my friend went googling like, right when she got home. Anyway, I ended up looking like the stalker because I was the one to ask his name, but I'll never see him again, so I thought, LIVE A LITTLE, DANI. Anyway, then that weekend I went to Canada, and bought suspenders (Eleven, anyone?) and the Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. Started that, finished that, finished Eighth Grade, watched people cry, cried when my friend pushed a chair out from under me and I hit my head against a desk (this was the day everyone was crying, so it was quite good how it turned out. I think it was mostly the built up emotions from that day pouring out after a nice blow. I mean, it didn't even hurt that much, so it's the only explanation I have), got like, OBSESSED with Vocaloid (mainly Rin and Len, unsurprisingly. Why are they so popular? What makes them so irristably cool? Why do I feel the need to ship them, even though their twins (sometimes)? O.o MADNESS.), graduated Eighth Grade, got the Literature Award (which was very nice, and though I was hoping for it, I was still surprised I got it), oh, and Harry Potter deserved everything it lost at the MTV Awards JUST SAYING. Sorry, Twilight fans, but, uh... I feel as if my good friend Watson was a bit JIPPED. I mean, come now._

_If Ron and Hermione don't win Best Kiss next year, I will frakking flay and EAT YOUR SCRAWNY ASSES, YOU HEAR ME?_

_... Who am I talking to? O.o I'm sure almost all of you agree, right?_

_So, yes, that is all. I think. Oh, and I'm working again. -.- Yeah. I find this a bother. I'm not sure any of you have been reading my stuff long enough to know, but I work during the summer. And it's a total bore. After the lunch rush I'm just standing there like, "... No way is there still an hour and a half left." AND THERE'S NEVER ANYTHING GOOD ON TV. ASDFGHJKL. At least Supernatural's on in the mornings. I'm excited to start it. MUST WATCH ALL SIX SEASONS BEFORE SUMMER'S END. I'm determined to jump right in when it starts up again. I heard about Misha... uh... Castiel (damn you, Tumblr). That is a brilliant twist. I mean, GOOD GOD (:3)._

_Give me that face in a review if you got that, please._

_Okay, done ranting. Liked the chapter? Thought it was stupid? Okay. That's good. Review? =D_

_Next Chapter: Morning Glory (this is a calmer chapter, please note)_


	64. Morning Glory

**White Knight: Sixty Four :Morning Glory**

The gradual rising of dawn lifted upon the Dark Region. Few knew what was happening below their feet, but the ones who could assume only assumed the worst. They were right to. In the basement of the mansion, Xion was slowly digging her way into Naminé's mind. And soon enough the girl was under her complete control. It was sad, but it was done. Dawn had come, and so the day began with a bang.

Quite literally, as a loud boom rocked the earth, waking a few tired folks from their slumber. Some children were already up, munching on toast before school started. The sound sent a shudder through the ground, and walls shook unsteadily.

Hope Esthiem looked up from his breakfast, his eyes widening as the small four room house began to shake in the tremor. Lightning's head shot up as well, her sharp blue-green eyes flickering around the tiny kitchen-like space that melted into the living room of their humble abode.

"What was that?" Hope asked meekly, dropping his spoon into the bowl of cereal he had been eating.

Lightning shook her head. She wasn't all that tired from the eventful night before, but she knew Hope was bordering on passing out from exhaustion. And to add onto that, it was a Monday. A school day. He was already dressed in his uniform, a plain white button down shirt, black slacks, dark vest and blazer emblazoned with a dark crest, one that could be looked at as Master Xehanort's own personal symbol. He was wearing a dark tie as well, but it was hanging loosely around his neck, untied for the moment.

Lightning scowled and brushed her scruffy pink hair from her eyes. Both she and Hope had awful bed heads, but it seemed only he could get away with the disheveled look. "It sounds like the party's started," Lightning hissed, her eyes narrowing. "Just what we needed."

Hope stared at her, and groaned. "No way!" He whined, throwing his arms back. "Of course the day when we're doing _nothing_ in school!"

Lightning rolled her eyes at the stale joke, but cracked a tiny smile. "You are beginning to sound like Ventus, you know," Lightning said, sliding her chair back and standing up. "Come on, let's go investigate."

Hope looked up at her, his eyebrows raising.

"Uh, how about no," he said with a short laugh. She looked at him shortly, and he rose his hands in a defense. "Wait, before you flip out, just look down."

Lightning continued to glare at the younger boy, folding her arms across her chest in annoyance. Then, slowly, she glanced downward. Her scowl deepened. It seemed she was wearing her pajamas. And her pajamas usually consisted of a simple baggy tee-shirt and shorts, even in the winter. Thus, she realized what Hope was saying. She could not go outside like this. Less for modesty, and more for agility, protection, and warmth. She didn't get cold easily, of course, but it was late winter. This was no time for catching a stupid cold.

Lightning's lips twisted, and she rolled her eyes. "Alright, fair enough," she muttered, turning toward her room. "I wish I could be a proper motherly figure and tell you that it's too dangerous for you to skip school and come with me, but honestly I don't give a shit." She turned toward him and smiled lightly. Hope's face split into a grin.

"Aw, you're the best, Light." Hope laughed, pushing his chair back as well. He scratched his cheek, and frowned. "I don't know how much help I'll be, though."

Lightning shrugged, and continued the walk to her room. It was probably high time she gave the boy a real weapon.

* * *

Ven was already awake when the bang sounded. The noise ripped across the morning, and shook the earth to its very core. Ven cried out, toppling off his bed and onto Roxas. His twin had woken up immediately after the loud noise quaked the Earth, and grunted in pain as Ven's knee connected with his stomach.

"Ow!" Roxas shouted. "Ow, ow, ow, _ow_, Ven, that's my eye, that's my eye!"

"Sorry!" Ven yelped, rolling off his brother. "My bed's just small! I always fall off it. I just forgot that there's someone on the floor now…"

Roxas snorted, rubbing his left eye where Ven's fist had landed. "It's a tiny room. I see why you don't have a roommate."

Ven shrugged, and glanced around his small, cluttered room. The walls were a yellowish white, cracked paint peeling away at certain points, mostly at the intersections of walls. Ventus had always suspected the paint had been a light, delicate cream color at one point, but years of isolation and mildew built up, leaving the pretty white stained and ugly. Not that Ven minded. The room _was_ a tad small, and a bit dank, and musty, but it was like living in a large closet. Ven didn't mind at all. He wasn't claustrophobic, and he had a tiny window. The ugliest of yellow patches were covered by drawings Naminé had given him. Colorful rectangular sheets of herself and Ventus, and flowers growing from nowhere, and people who meant very much to the young insane girl.

The room was small, and cramped, and it smelt of dust and old books, but it was probably his favorite room in the entire mansion. It was the exact opposite of Naminé's, and yet he adored it. He wouldn't switch it up for anything. Except maybe cookies— but only if there were _lots_ of them.

"What happened, anyway?" Ven asked, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

Roxas looked at him, and raised an eyebrow. "You think I know?" he asked, his voice slipping into a yawn at the end. "I was on the floor. You're the one with the window right there."

Ven frowned, and wiggled a bit as he flopped on his belly, crawling about a foot and a half away to the wall where his window kept its home. He scrambled to his knees, and grabbed onto the tiny wooden ledge to keep himself steady.

"Hmm," he hummed, scanning the view for abnormalities. His view was not the grandest, but it was one of the things that made his room perfect. He was on the uppermost floor, where the unimportant servants tended to dwell, but this floor had quite a good view. From his little tower he could see the skyline at perfect view, the sun inching its way up the horizon, sending a burst of pink upward and outward. The faint rose color melted away farther up in the sky, revealing a shade of lavender that spread up, and over, curling around the pink and deepening beneath the ever glowing sun. The wall was to the left of his window, but it was not in view. However, he could spot the steadily growing trees that held ground beside it.

"I don't see anything out of the ordinary," Ven said softly, leaning his forehead against the smooth glass surface, a small smile curling on his lips. He noted the snow was gone from the mansion's grounds. This pleased him greatly.

"That's weird," Roxas murmured, leaning back on his makeshift bed. "I wonder what it was."

Ven turned his head back, his large, childish eyes widening. "Well it can't be good if it made that kind of noise!" he cried, jumping to his feet. "Come on, we have to go find out what it is!"

Roxas blinked slowly. "But…" he said, swallowing as Ventus dragged him to his feet. "Wait, Ven, I don't think…"

"Baby!" Ven shouted, pulling his brother toward to the door. "Come on, it won't take long. Besides, we have to go find Miss Nami, anyhow. No time for sleeping."

"Can we get dressed first?" Roxas whined as the twins stumbled into the hallway, barefoot, and clad in flannel pajama bottoms and porous tee-shirts.

"No!"

* * *

Something rumbled the earth of the Dark Region. It wasn't a very _big_ bang, but it sure enough woke up anyone with ears. Aqua shot up in her bed, her short blue hair tussled up and around her scalp, making her head resemble a cerulean sea urchin. There were bags under her eyes from the little sleep she's been getting, and her face was smeared with dirt from the night previous. She blinked slowly, her vision bleary from eye crust.

"What…?" she whispered, rubbing the morning blur from her eyes. Her joints ached as she moved them. Even if she had been healed yesterday, she was bruised up well enough.

"Aqua…?"

Aqua turned her head, some of her hair falling into her face. Aerith laid in her own bed across the room from Aqua's, the girl's long brown hair framing her face. Her bright green eyes were worriedly glancing around the room, as if she were expecting everything to come crashing down at any moment.

"Aerith?" Aqua asked, her voice hoarse, and croaky. Her mouth and throat were dry, and her tongue felt heavy in her mouth. It wasn't going to be a very good day.

"What was that?" The older girl pushed her woolen blanket back, and pulled her knees to her chest. Her long hair rustled, settling down around her feet. "It felt like an earth quake."

Aqua nodded and brushed her hair back behind her ears. She wasn't quite sure what was happening, or what day it was, or what time it was, but it was obvious something out of the norm had just happened.

"Maybe it was." Aqua shrugged and pushed her own covers back. "Sometimes they can be really quick like that."

Aerith frowned, her delicate face turning in confusion. "But there was a… an explosion, or something. I heard it."

Aqua blinked slowly and tilted her head. "I don't know then," Aqua said, sighing. "It doesn't sound good though."

"No, not at all…"

Aqua looked at the girl, and sighed once again. She was biting her lip nervously, glancing at the window. Worry was written all over her face. Aqua momentarily wondered why, her mind drawing a blank toward who or what the woman could possibly be worrying about. Then it struck her that she might be worrying for the Light Region.

What if they were bombed again?

That was silly though. Would Xehanort do that again?

She shuddered and shook her head. She couldn't think about that.

"Come on, Aerith," Aqua said, slipping off her bed. "Let's get dressed and go find out what's going on."

Aerith looked up at her, and smiled gently. "Alright." She nodded, jumping off her own bed. She walked toward the dresser, and opened her drawer, pulling out a simple pink dress, decorated with light blue flowers at the hips and hem. It ended just below her knees.

"Hey, Aqua?" Aerith asked, folding the dress over her arm as Aqua rummaged through her own drawer. Aqua hummed in response, her eyebrows furrowing, as if she were deep in thought. "What happened last night? You never made it back to the party."

Aqua paused, her fingers drifting over pieces of gently woven fabric. She swallowed and closed her eyes. "Um…" she said, chewing slowly on her bottom lip. "I got caught up with something. Sorry."

Aerith shook her head and giggled. "Oh, no need to be sorry, silly!" She smiled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears. "It wasn't very fun anyway. Riku was acting really strange. I'm sure you noticed though, what with him and Terra having that weird little spat." She shrugged, and flopped onto her bed. "Mmm, I dunno. Cousins are strange."

"I don't think it's the cousins that are strange…" Aqua muttered, pulling a wispy blur skirt from her drawer and tossing it onto her bed.

"But still, he was acting so mean!" Aerith huffed. "Riku was always nice enough. I mean, he could be awfully moody, but that's expected."

Aqua nodded and pulled a pair of navy tights from the drawer, along with a short sleeved turtleneck. She tossed both onto her bed, and closed her eyes once again. Riku… what had happened to him, she wondered.

"I can't imagine what happened to Riku," Aqua said slowly, kicking the drawer shut and moving toward her bed. "Probably best that we don't think about it."

"Huh?" Aerith looked over at her. "Why?"

Aqua stood, her back to the girl. She shook her head. "Nothing, never mind."

* * *

Terra was already awake when the bang sounded. He was leaning against his bed frame, already dressed and bathed, ready to face whatever challenges the new day managed to throw at him. When the earth beneath him shook for a few moments, he jumped to his feet. Whipping his head around, a few things passed through his mind. What was that noise, why was the ground shaking, what was happening, why was it happening? He walked toward the window, slowly at first in apprehensiveness. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as his nose brushed the cool glass.

"What the hell?" he murmured, his dark brown hair falling against his cheeks as he turned his head. His eyes fell upon the wall, the giant stone barrier looming over the little Dark Region town. He frowned and blinked tiredly. The sight of the wall gave him an unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach, like a reminder of a bad dream, or memory. Or in his case, memories.

He jumped, his gaze falling on something not too far off, but still not incredibly close to him. Across the wall, somewhere in the Light Region. He felt his heart sink.

"Oh what the…" His breath caught in his throat as he continued to stare out the window. What had happened? Why…

He coughed subconsciously, and turned. He didn't know what to think. Loud bang, plus this? What was going on?

He made his way to his door, grabbing his coat as he made his way out. The world was very quiet, considering the bang…

Terra took a deep breath and began to walk down the hallway, pushing his hair back from his face as he tried to focus his attention to walking straight. He moved silently, his mind drifting off like it usually did when he was alone. He didn't like it. In fact for the last few weeks his whole life has revolved around trying to run away from his past actions. But it was impossible to try this. It was always at the back of his mind, no matter what he did. He would have to live with it, even if it killed him inside.

And… it really did hurt.

"Terra!"

Terra looked up, squinting a little into the semi-dark hallway. At the other end, near the stairwell, two blond boys stumbled down the stairs blindly, hands interlocked so they wouldn't loose each other. Terra rose an eyebrow at the sight of them. They were very nearly identical, with their faces mirroring each other in expression and structure. Their hair was completely askew, flying all over their heads in a few different directions. It was obvious they had just gotten out of bed.

"Ven?" Terra asked, watching as the twins tripped over themselves trying to get to him.

"Terra!" Ven let go of Roxas's hand and ran his fingers through his hair. "Terra, there was a huge boomy noise!"

"I heard." Terra said, glancing over the twins once more. He could see them better now. Thin cotton tee-shirts, the kind sold cheep at markets, were worn down and filled with holes. Terra wasn't surprised. This was Ven, of course. But still, it seemed too cold for them to where this type of clothing. Their pants, however, seemed to be in fine condition. Flannel, dark gray, one gaping hole at the side seam of Ventus's, but aside from that, all seemed fine.

"I think everyone heard," Roxas said looking around the hallway. His face was shadowed partially, light managed to catch a part of his face. His large blue eyes were flickering around, watching doors expectantly. "Okay… that's weird."

"What's weird?" Ven asked, tilting his head.

Roxas continued to look around. "Well…" he said slowly, pursing his lips. "You see, that was a loud bang. Everyone should be up."

"Yeah?"

Terra stared at the younger boy, his eyes widening. "So why isn't anyone?" he whispered, glancing at a closed door to his right.

Ven froze in place. His face was pale in the semi-darkness. "Um… maybe they're scared?" he murmured, his voice very low.

"I doubt it," Terra whispered back.

"Then why…?"

"Come on," Terra said, spinning around. "Let's go."

"Go where?" Ven asked, his voice rising a bit.

"The lab. We have to check to see if your girlfriend is actually there. And if not, then… well, we won't have time to look for her."

The twins stood frozen for a minute, before the turned their head, looking at each other with a sense of knowing that only they could read.

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked, his eyes following Terra's movements. "We're just going to leave Naminé?"

"We have to. We don't have time." Terra continued forward regardless that the twins were not following.

"But _why_?" Ven asked, his voice raising again. "Terra, that's stupid! We can't leave her all alone!"

"She tried to kill you!" Terra shouted, spinning around to glare at the brothers. "She _stabbed_ you, Ven. Tell me _why_ we should help her after that."

Ven stared at him, his wide, childlike eyes going wider, and wider as the words sunk in. He kept staring at Terra, his mouth slowly dropping open into a slight gape, as his expression transformed from shock to hurt.

"Because… I care about her, Terra," Ven whispered, his eyes glued to the older boy's face. "That's why."

* * *

_I'm quite late updating, aren't I? I'm sorry. Oh, and I'm also sorry if I don't get to your review. Fanfiction's been nasty (that new PM system is shittier than having to wait the whole summer to find out what happens next on Doctor Who. And yes, that's shity), so I only reply to PMs when I'm focussed on replying. I accidently forget after a little while._

**_so the final harry potter trailer came out, and it was kind of like my entire childhood flashed before my eyes, and oh, god, guys, hold me, i'm going to die on july 15th_**

_A popular saying on Tumblr that describes my feelings. 'My skeleton will lie in the theater forever'. JUST SAYING. I hope I finish this story before I effing die at the end of that movie. (If they play the song from the end of the first movie when Harry leaves Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express when Harry's son leaves Platform 9 and 3/4, I will probably die. Not even kidding. I need to get a move on with this story so it'll be done before my demise.)_

_I can't even begin to rant about the trailer. I wish this was an actual blog so I could say 'hold me' and put a gif of Ron and Hermione right before Nagini attacks them. BLESS YOU, NEVILLE, I KNOW THAT'S WHEN YOU SWEEP IN AND KILL THAT BITCH WHO KILLED SNAPE._

_... Sorry. This is why I need a blog. I can't stop writing in this Author's Note space. Anyway, storywise, this chapter is boring, I know, don't tell me it's boring. I know when the story needs to be boring. This chapter needed to be boring. _

_Next chapter was kinda unneeded character stuff, but I felt the need to write it. It's pretty Hope centric. I don't know why, don't ask, it's a little late, and I'm tired, and I was tired when I wrote the next chapter, but it's Hope-centric, so I hope you guys can deal. If you've never played FFXIII, don't mind that, my Hope and that Hope are like... well, my Hope is slightly less annoying. I tried to make him a little more ingame!Hope next chapter, but neeeh. Whatever. I shouldn't be tired, but I am._

_Still on Vocaloid high. Kagamines specifically. How incestuous. I don't care if that's a word or not. I don't wanna check. I'm tired. Though, I don't know if I SUPPORT the incest in the Kagamines' relationship, because it's incest, but at the same time it's not because the creators like to troll us with all the, "Oh, they're twins here, oh, they're mirror images there, oh, what? They ain't related in Prisoner and Paper Plane, shuddap, they don't look anything alike, trolololololol."_

_I feel kinda drunk when I write when I'm tired. Hmmm. Not in real life, but it's kinda like I'm hyper on page, and I can't stop typing even though I'm REAAAALLY tired. Oh, and Maya Sushi updated Rue. Whut. Why is she so amazing at writing. Why did I feel like my mind was seeping out of my ears after I read it. Why is Ed siding with Voldemort. Why... Oh, for you guys who don't know, this is a HPxFMA crossover, and I don't even know why I'm so in love with these, but it's like my favorite genre of fanfiction. I don't even know. I think it's because there's so really great stories in that genre, and they're easy to find. _

_I need to beta read. I'll do that tomorrow. I should just sleep now. Sorry for the uber rant. My bad._

_Next Chapter: Wishes_


	65. Wishes

**White Knight: Sixty Five :Wishes**

The silence was a little unnerving. Sure, Aqua had been in the mansion when there was no sound to stir her thoughts, but this was different. It was like… well, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It felt eerie to be walking the halls alone. Aerith was right behind her, yes, but there was something that felt _wrong_. Like she was breaking some rule, stepping outside her room at this time of confusion.

As the duo reached the stairwell, Aqua felt her nerves begin to jitter. She bit her lip and raised her hand, brushing her skin against the marble banister. She took a short breath and turned her head to the side, her gaze falling on Aerith. The older girl smiled and tucked a few loose strands of curly brown hair behind her ears.

"Why is there no one here?" Aqua whispered, her voice still much too loud in the silence of the morning. "People should be up and running after that noise. The residents aren't that stupid."

Aerith shrugged, her dreamy smile still playing on her lips. "Maybe it's because of that memo," she said, tilting her head up at the ceiling. "I mean… that makes sense, right?"

Aqua's head whipped to the side. "Sorry, what?" she asked. Her eyes scanned Aerith's face for traces of humor. "Did you say _memo_, Aerith?"

Aerith blinked slowly, her earthy green eyes widening. "Oh," she gasped. "Oh, did you not see? It was on the floor when we left."

"Why didn't you point it out to me?" Aqua hissed, spinning around. She took in the hallway in front of her, long, and lonely, and empty.

Aerith looked down and laughed nervously. "I, uh… I didn't think it was that important. We're not really law abiding citizens anyway."

Aqua gave her a sharp look. "_Law abiding_?" she hissed. "What exactly did this memo _say_, Aerith?"

Aerith twiddled her thumbs and laughed nervously again. "Um, oh, nothing really that important. Just… well…" She glanced up at the ceiling and leaned back against the banister. "'Residents must stay indoors today due to health risk.'" She made a face, scrunching up her nose as if disgusted. "Or something like that."

Aqua gave her a long, incredulous look. "Health risk," she whispered. "You're joking, right?"

Aerith shook her head, her braid bobbing from side to side as she did so. "No, I'm positive it's supposed to be taken _very_ seriously." She gave a short, almost stern nod, as if to enforce her sentence.

Aqua giggled, a weight lifting in her chest. That explained why no one was out of their rooms. But still…

"I wonder what the health risk is…" Aqua murmured pushing back some of her hair. The front was longer than the back now. A few pieces brushed her shoulders, reminding her that she was long due for a haircut.

"I'm sure he's just tricking everyone!" Aerith said brightly. "I mean, Master Xehanort… he lies like this. How the subjects of the Dark Region put up with him is beyond me."

Aqua sucked in some air, and she fiddled with the crummy old chain around her neck. "We put up with him because he's powerful, and manipulative." Aqua gave her a look of seriousness that didn't quite suit her young face. "That's all."

The sixteen-year-old took a step down, and then another, until she disappeared behind the curving banister.

* * *

"Lightning."

Lightning shot a glance up at the younger boy, her attention still on the little copper colored nails that were settled in a box by her side. Her gaze flickered back to them as she soundlessly skimmed through them one at a time.

"Lightning, there's something on the door."

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, her eyes still on the little copper things. She picked up another one and brought it up to meet her eyes. After a moment she dropped it into the pile with an odd little clink.

"Lightning, are you _listening_ to me?"

"Not at all."

"That's not funny!"

"It wasn't supposed to be…"

"_Lightning_!"

The woman sighed heavily and looked up at her ashen haired companion. He looked rather annoyed, his roundish face twisted into a pout.

"What were you saying, Hope?" she asked lightly, dropping another copper nail-like object into the pile. It gave a delicate _clink_.

Hope stared at her, before his eyes narrowed into a glare. "You weren't listening at all?" he asked with a small hiss to his voice.

"I was counting. I thought that you were fine. You weren't screaming, so I only assumed…"

"Ugh, _Light_…"

"Please stop whining, I'm trying to do something for you."

Hope's eyes brightened. "What?" he asked, sliding to his knees. "You're counting nails for me?"

Lightning snorted. She dropped another little coppery nail into the pile. "They're not nails," she said, bringing another one to meet her eyes. "How did you even make that assumption?"

"Uh…" Hope chewed on his upper lip, and shrugged. "They looked more like nails from the door, you know."

Lightning's eyebrows rose, and she gave him a small smirk. "I'm sure."

His pale cheeks flushed suddenly and he swallowed. "Um, so, forget that. What are these things?" he asked snatching up one of the coppery things from the pile.

Lightning watched him, her fingers still working at the other copper things while her focus split itself in half. "Bullets, obviously." She chuckled at his yelp of surprise as he flung the bullet away from him.

"_Bullets_?" he gasped. "Oh, man, Light, I want a real weapon, but a _gun_?"

"Didn't I tell you to quit whining?"

"I'm a teenager, Lightning."

"I was never like that."

"You were a teenager?"

Lightning rolled her eyes and tossed the younger boy a bullet. He yelped again, catching the thing without fully realizing what it was. Soon he was juggling it, trying not to hold it in one hand for too long.

"Oh, I don't want to hold this…"

"That's not a regular bullet," Lightning said, tucking a piece of pale pink hair behind her ears. "It's pretty decent, actually. Nifty for pacifists like you."

"I'm not a pacifist," Hope muttered, looking down at the bullet. "I just care a bit more about human life."

"Well compared to me, you're a pacifist…" Lightning sighed and closed her eyes, running her fingers through her hair. "Sorry, I'm getting distracted. Anyway, that bullet is made of a certain metal that reacts wildly to magic."

"But I can't use magic."

"I realize that," Lightning sighed. "There's already magic in the bullet."

Hope's eyes widened. "Oh!" he gasped. "Oh, I get it! So it's less likely to kill, because it's magic originated, right? I can deal with that."

"Good," Lightning smiled slightly, picking up the box filled with bullets. "Because you don't have the time to be hesitant on trigger pulling. There are some really nasty people out there, Hope, and you have to be ready for them."

"Yeah…" he sighed, taking the box from her. "I know, but…" He stared at the box, and sighed. "Light, I can't carry this thing with me, you know that right?

Lightning pulled a black band from the pocket of her skirt, her pale fingers tracing the tight design knitted into the dark fibers. She handed the band to Hope, who placed it on top of his box. "Uh…" he murmured, looking over the thick width of the band, and the circular grooves running the length of it.

Lightning stood up, dusting herself off with the back of her hand as she walked forward. She reached behind the couch and pulled a long barreled gun. A _very_ long barreled gun. It almost looked like…

"A rifle…" Hope murmured, his eyebrows knitting together. "Damn, Light…"

"It was my father's, in case you're wondering," Lightning said sharply, twirling the barrel in her hand so the stock was facing him. "And I expect you to take care of it. I wouldn't give this to just anyone."

Hope stared at her, his arms still full with the box full of magical bullets, and the black band that seemed fit for bullet holding. He placed the boxed down on the floor, and very slowly he reached out, pulling the rifle into his hands. It was black, made out of a thick plated metal, not as shiny up close as it was from afar. Considerably heavy, but Hope expected this. It was very worn in certain places, nicked in others. It looked as if it had served in combat against a sword, what with some of the grooves being deeper than a normal scratch could manage.

"Why would you give me a gun?" Hope asked, looking up at his close friend. "Why not a sword, or knives, or something like that? Why a gun?"

"Why would you want swords and knives when you could have a gun?" Lightning asked, her eyebrows raising. "Gun's are much more accurate, and they're easier to handle."

"You use your blade more than you use the gun part of it, though!"

"Because I'm better at close combat." Lightning sighed once again. Her eyes flickered to Hope's face and she stared at him for a few moments, trying to understand his expression. He looked a little frightened, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape. "Don't be afraid of the gun. You probably won't kill anyone with it if you shoot them."

"Probably?" he whispered, flicking the safety.

"It depends on where you shoot them." Lightning took the gun from him, and lifted it up. "Look at me. This is how you hold it." She adjusted her hands so her left was resting on the barrel, and her right was near the trigger. "This is a very simple rifle. All you have to do is pull the safety, aim, and fire. Squeeze the trigger, don't pull it." She looked down at the boy, who was staring at her with his eyes still horrendously wide. "You won't kill anyone. Most of those bullets are ice and fire based."

Hope looked at her, and he swallowed. "I…" he whispered, staring at the gun. "I really don't know, Light. I'm not much of a… shooter. I don't think I can…" He trailed off, backing up against the wall.

Lightning watched him, her cool silence chilling the air. "I know a gun isn't your ideal weapon, Hope," she said softly. "Trust me, I understand better than anyone what this means to you. A gun is your last pick for a weapon."

"Then why are you giving me one?" He looked up at her, tightening his blazer around himself. "You're right, you understand better than anyone when I don't want to use a gun. So why would you give me one?"

Lightning sighed. "It's not like I didn't think… of giving you something else. Anything else. But my mind kept going back to guns." She looked at him, her lips tugging upward into a genuine smile. "I think you would be good. You've got a nice aim from all that boomerang practice."

Hope snorted, shuffling back farther against the wall. "Yeah, there's a difference between aiming and throwing a boomerang and aiming and pulling a trigger."

"Pulling a trigger is much easier." Lightning hugged the barrel to her chest, and sighed again. "Please try to understand. A boomerang won't be able to protect you. I know you wanted a real weapon, and I know that you'll adapt the fastest with a gun."

"That doesn't change the way I feel about them."

"Try to look past that. I did."

"You _had_ to." Hope shook his head and closed his eyes. "Lightning, I know. I know what Xehanort made you do. I don't want to do that. Not ever."

Lightning stared at him, her eyes widening as his words sunk in. He knew…?

"I'm sorry, Hope," Lightning murmured. "It wasn't really my choice."

"Yeah, I know, I know…" Hope squeezed his eyes shut tighter. "I know…"

_The tips of his fingers tingled, they were clasping the thin fabric of his mother's shawl so tight. His face was buried deep in her side, his eyes squeezed shut. He could hear the slow pacing of the men, and the heavy breathing of his mother, and the tiny girl beside him. She was taking huge gulps of air, as if she were hyperventilating. He didn't look at her. He was too scared to look at anyone. _

_He let out a small whimper as a man passed closer to them, and he was met with a soothing voice. _

"_Shh," his mother whispered, stroking his light, silvery hair. "Don't be scared. It'll be fine."_

_He nodded, sniffling against the soft cotton of her jacket. He couldn't deal with this. He felt dizzy thinking about how much time was passing, why no one had saved them yet, why this was happening. He felt sick to his stomach, and he thought he might understand it if someone explained, but he didn't want to ask anything. _

"_Will you shut up already!" One of the men. Hope stiffened, and he listened as gasps became more panicked. The girl next to him?_

"_Back off!" Another female's voice rung in the room, icy and biting. "She has asthma. You're scaring her, so it's making it worse."_

"_Claire…" A man, not too far from Hope was speaking. _

"_What did you just say to me?" the man snarled. Hope swallowed, and peeked out from his safe spot, huddled against his mother. The man was thin, not what Hope imagined a burglar, or whatever these people were, to look like. He was holding a small handgun to the head of a slightly scary looking teenager. Hope shuddered. The girl's face was so fierce, she was almost scarier than the gunman. Almost._

"_Did you say something to me, little girl?" the gunman spat at her, saliva flying from his mouth._

_She looked at him, her eyes narrowing into a glare. "She can't help it." The girl inhaled sharply through her nose. "Please take your gun away from my head."_

"_The ten minutes is almost up, you know," the gunman chuckled, the barrel of the gun sliding against her face. "Time's up for one of you."_

"_No!" the man and the girl beside Hope gasped in unison, though the girl was rasping, clutching her chest. Hope stole a glance at her. She was tiny, maybe his age, or younger, with long pink tinted hair that hung above her elbows. A bunch of it was bundled up on the side of her head into a short ponytail. She had a pale face, though her cheeks were tinted red from hyperventilating._

_The older girl, Claire, shrunk back as the man reached down, grabbed her by the neck. "You're a tough one, aren't you?" he snarled into her face. "I'll break you down, little girl."_

_Hope could almost hear her ground her teeth in frustration. He turned his attention away from the girl, burying his face back into his mother's side. He could hear the painful grunt as the girl was thrown back to the floor, and the gun was cocked. Another ten minutes up. _

"_Please have mercy! Those are my daughters, please!"_

"_Really, pal?" the man snorted. "I didn't even notice. I thought she was your wife."_

"_Please don't do this, I'm begging you, I'll—"_

_A brilliant and terrifying _crack_ resonated against the walls, and Hope, the small girl beside him, and a few others screamed. The rattling silence that followed the boom of a gunshot was inevitable, but it happened. Hope heard nothing, and yet there was a strange ringing in his ears._

"Dad_!" The older girl screamed. "Oh my… why would you…"_

"_He was annoying."_

"_Daddy…" the girl beside Hope whispered, her voice cracking. Hope shuddered, and snuggled closer to his mother. He didn't want to be near that girl. He was too afraid that he'd be her._

_He listened as the minutes ticked by. He could hear the steady sobbing of the young girl beside him, and the breathing of his mother. He didn't know what to do. He was too afraid to move. Maybe he could help the girl if he could move. Maybe…_

_But maybe wasn't good enough. The man was still there, and he was still taunting. Mostly the teenager who had defied him, the one named Claire. There were a few other men walking around, waiting for the next ten minutes to be up. Hope peeked over at the girl beside him. She was shuddering, her face buried in her arms. Hope stared at her, realizing she was probably the only one there around his age. Quietly, he nudged her._

_She didn't react at first. But after he poked her again, she looked up, her puffy red eyes huge with fear. Hope exhaled shakily. "It's going to be okay," he whispered to her. "It's going to be okay." She watched him, her eyes fearfully darting across his face. She squeezed her eyes shut, and gave a quick nod._

_His mother looked down at him, and smiled. She was proud of his kindness._

_And then one of the men tore Hope out from her iron grip. She screamed, and Hope screamed, and the tiny girl with asthma screamed, and gasped, and clutched her chest._

"_What'd ya say, kid?" the man who had him by the neck whispered in his ear, his breath hot on Hope's cheeks. "Got some kinda secret ya wanna share?"_

"_N-no!" Hope rasped, frozen in the man's grasp. He could feel every ounce of his strength fly from his body, and an iron ball dropped into his stomach. "I… I…"_

"_He's just a little kid…" the girl, Claire, whispered. _

"_Would ya like it to be her?" the man asked, jerking his head to the pink haired girl, who froze, her gasping still audible. Claire's eyes widened, and she said nothing more._

"_Let him go!" His mother shouted. "He's only ten! Just let him go!"_

_There was a barrel against his ear. Hope could feel the cool metal scratch against his skin. It burned him. He wished for something, someone, to save him. He didn't want to die here, in a place like this._

_Hope wished a little too hard. Because soon he was tossed back to the floor, and the gunshot blew his hearing. He screamed, of course, but that was no help. They were tricky people. They misled you to thinking they were going to kill one person, and then they killed another._

_There was absolutely nothing Hope could do. He didn't understand what had happened. It couldn't have happened. That stuff just didn't happen._

_After this day, there were many moments where he wished, very, very hard, that he had never been born._

_But he never wished hard enough._

* * *

_I'm really sorry I haven't updated, and I haven't replied to any reviews. I TRIED. I really tried. But I couldn't. I had so much trouble writing the past few weeks, it's ridiculous. The next chapter is kind of sucky, and I need to get these people down to the lab so I can put in whatever final plot twist I'm going to throw at you, and I just want to finish this story before school starts, but I know that probably won't happen because I have crappy luck._

_For anyone who doesn't like Hope, sorry for the waste of the chappter. I'm wrapping up peoples' pasts so it won't bother me in the end. Since Hope and Lightning are semi-major now, I felt the need to give them something. _

_In an earlier chapter I said Lightning's parents died in a fire. Only her mother did. Her father was killed with Hope's mother in his hostage thing that I'm not quite sure about. I'm leaving what it is open to suggestion. It's a hostage situation. I don't feel the need to elaborate what kind. Though if you really want to know, I think these people were actually objecting to Xehanort's rule. Trying to see how little he actually cares for his citizens. Xehanort didn't care much until he realized what they were doing, and he stopped it. Lightning, Hope, and Serah managed to get out alive. Their parents didn't._

_Again, I'm really sorry. I need to remind myself to write. I need to get these kids into the lab so they can meet with Ansem and stuff with be revealed about Nami and Vani and other things. _

_Two weeks, by the way. Apparently for the midnight showing, the 3D glasses are Harry Potter glasses._

_God Bless America._

_Happy Fourth of July, by the way. :]_

_Next Chapter: Guns and Lances_


	66. Guns and Lances

**White Knight: Sixty Six :Guns and Lances**

Terra stared down at his blonde haired friend. He felt a bit foolish, but at the same time he felt unsure. Naminé had hurt Ven. This was apparent. But Ven did not care. And thus Terra was confused.

"Ven…" he said, his voice slow, quiet. "I'm sorry. You're… right. You care about her. I shouldn't get in the way of that."

Ven shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. "You're not getting in the way. You're just worried about me because the girl I have a crush on shoved a butcher knife through my stomach." The boy chuckled, brushing a bit of sandy colored bangs out of his eyes. "To be honest, I think I need therapy, or something. My sanity must be going. No person in a right state of mind should be able to put up with someone like her." Ven looked up at Terra, his blue eyes glistening.

Terra met the boy's gaze, his eyebrows furrowed. He slowly managed a chuckle as well. "Well, if _I_ must be honest, I have to say you two are perfect for each other." Terra smirked, and turned on his heel. "You're both immature to hide the fact that you've got issues. Nothing to be ashamed of."

"Hey!" Ven shouted. "I don't have issues! I have _amnesia_. That doesn't mean I'm totally insane!"

"Actually…" Roxas murmured thoughtfully, staring at one of the oil lamps hanging on the wall. Ven shot the boy a look, and Roxas shut his mouth.

"Anyway," Ven said pulling on his hair. "Let's get to the basement. Whatever you want to do can wait, right?"

Terra looked down, shoving his hands into his pockets. He was back to his usual outfit, though his pants were seemingly normal enough to not pass as a hoop skirt.

"Yeah," he said slowly. "It can wait a little while."

Ven whooped and flung his arms around the shoulders of his twin. "Come on, brother of mine, let's go be knights."

"I'm not sure I'm very knightish," Roxas said, his voice betraying a hint of a laugh as he stumbled to the side. "And you can't really fight."

Ven's playful expression was wiped from his face, and he stared at his brother coldly, his nose brushing the boy's cheek. "I can fight fine, Roxas. You underestimate my almighty powers."

"Sure," Roxas coughed, edging away from the younger twin. "Your powers are… truly almighty."

Terra chuckled, and Ven turned on him. "Do not _mock_ the awesomeness of Ventus~!" Ven barked, though there was a slight whistle to his tone. He tugged at his hair again, this time wrinkling his nose a bit in discomfort.

"Your hair is getting pretty long," Terra commented as they walked forward, tugging on one of the longish strands that hung just above the boy's shoulder. Ven frowned, running his fingers through his hair. Indeed, it was past it's normal length, hanging at the base of his neck in tangled spikes.

"I haven't had a haircut in months," Ven said, laughing a bit. "I didn't realize it had gotten so long."

"I didn't either," Roxas said, tilting his head. "But I should've. It's way longer than mine is."

"Yeah, I know, that sucks." Ven pouted, and tugged at his hair some more.

Terra stopped, and he turned to the brothers, his deep cobalt eyes narrowed. "We've got major problems here, and you guys are talking about _hair_?"

"You brought it up!" Ven yelped. Roxas chuckled, a small grin appearing on his lips.

"That's true," the older twin agreed. "You brought up the hair thing."

"I didn't expect it to become a huge thing."

Ven shrugged, his shoulders rolling back. "So, uh, do you have a hair tie, Terra?" Ven asked, pulling at his hair once more.

"What makes you think I'd have a hair tie?" Terra asked, frowning. "My hair isn't _that_ long."

Ven and Roxas shot each other a look, a knowing smile appearing on their lips as they chuckled quietly.

"I'm going to ignore that." Terra turned, a scowl loose on his lips.

There was a silence that came over the three of them as they made their journey down the hallway. Ven was still pulling at his hair uncomfortably, as if knowing that it was too long agitated him more than it would have originally. The halls of the mansion were dim, though the morning sun was steadily rising, sending slim slivers of light into the corridors. Roxas took notice to the polished black bricks lining every wall, and he found himself sort of longing for the light blues and yellows of the walls back in the Light Region mansion. It was odd, being sucked into the Dark Region's business when he knew well it wasn't really his right to poke around.

But still, he found he enjoyed the company of these Dark Region folk. Ventus, of course, was his best friend, and Roxas probably wouldn't hesitate to stay in the Dark Region with him. Naminé, the girl whose sanity was slipping away, yet she had a sort of bitter-sweet quality about her that made Roxas really like her. Hope and Lightning, the strange duo, on the edge of being best friends and being a weird set of siblings, and Xion, the girl who quietly watched things from afar, never venturing too far out of her comfort zone.

He recalled Riku telling him things about Xion. He had never mentioned her obvious lack of self-confidence.

Where _was_ Xion, anyway? Roxas didn't recall seeing her after the strange battle. He wondered…

"Ven! Terra!"

The trio spun around at the sound of running footsteps, their eyes scanning the hall for signs of regular people. Roxas completely lost his train of thought, and he struggled to remember what he had been thinking about.

"Ven," Aqua gasped, tucking a piece of cerulean tinted hair behind her ear. "Terra, Roxas. I'm glad to see you all are alright. I thought…"

She didn't look ready to go into battle, not like Terra. She was wearing dark stockings, and a strange flowy skirt, and a light blue sweatshirt. Well, at least she wasn't wearing her pajamas. Ven and Roxas just looked plain sad next to everyone else. Roxas hoped they'd have the time to change into more appropriate clothing. Something about being in his pajamas just irked him, somehow.

"We're fine, Aqua," Terra said, his brow furrowing. He walked toward her, allowing her to give him a quick hug. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing," Aqua said quickly, shaking her head. Her blue hair bounced around her head, settling messily at her shoulders. Ven smirked. He wasn't the only one who needed a hair cut. "Nothing, really, I just… well, never mind, I get worried easily. You know that."

"God bless your children," Ven muttered. Aqua shot him a glare, her face transforming into a strange, stiff scowl of some sort. This made Ven cough, and shudder a bit. Roxas glanced at him, and gave him a small pat on the back.

"Sorry to interrupt," a soft, almost melodic voice said, "but I think we need to get going."

Ven turned, his eyes landing on the woman who had spoken. Her brilliant green eyes sparkled beneath her bangs, and she smiled politely at him. Ven smiled back. He was still very grateful that Aerith had saved him a few years back. It seemed she had grown up too. Ven didn't like growing up. It made his chest feel empty.

"Hello, Aerith!" Ven cried, jumping toward her. "Wow, you look pretty today!"

Aqua's eyebrows raised, and Terra's mouth dropped open as Aerith giggled, and gave Ven a tiny curtsy. "Why thank you, Ventus. You're so sweet."

Ven laughed a bit, and shook his head. "Not really. I'm just truthful."

"Obnoxiously so," Terra muttered, rolling his eyes. But he really had to hand it to the boy. He had some major charm.

"I heard that!" Ven turned his head, pouting at the older boy with wide blue eyes. "I'm not obnoxious, Terra!"

"Ah, see, but you're doing that thing with your voice, where it goes way up, and you sound distinctly like a whiny female."

"What? I do not!"

"And there it goes again…"

"Sush!" Roxas gasped, tugging onto Ven's shirt to quiet the boy down. His fingers caught onto one of the many holes in the shirt, and the fabric gave in to the weight, tearing a hole larger than Roxas's fist into the shirt.

"Ouch!" Ven hissed, glaring at his brother. "You just scratched me!"

"Shush, dammit!" Roxas hissed back, pulling his brother against a wall. He looked around the hallway, the bleakness of dawn spilling slivers of light onto the floor to the left. The right side of the hall was still thick with shadows. The three 'adults' looked at each other, before slipping into the shadows as well. There was an odd, ringing silence that spread about the air, settling in their brains. Ventus inhaled shakily as heavy footsteps shattered the silence.

Three men came sauntering into the hallway, blocking the rays of morning sun. Well, one was sauntering. The other two were looking at the sauntering one with shadowed faces of stone cold apathy. The sauntering man shoved his hands in his pockets, his one brownish eye trailing over the hallway.

"Oh ho ho!" His voice had a weird quality to it, a light rasping accent of some sort. "Yep, I told you guys I heard something, but noooo, Braig's a nutcase!" He barked a laugh. "Who's laughing now?"

The two hulking men behind the man looked at each other. They rolled their eyes, before returning to their expressions of pure stoicism.

"Well!" Braig shouted, his head whipping toward the group huddled in the shadows. "Somebody isn't following the rules!"

"Uh, rules?" Ven asked, tilting his head at the older man. "What rules?"

"Ven!" Aqua hissed, her eyes on Braig. Braig chuckled, and he shrugged his padded shoulders.

"Ah, little dude, ya know, the rules. Whatever. Do what the Master says. Didn't you read the memo?"

"Memo?" Ventus, Roxas, and Terra echoed softly.

"See," Aerith whispered to Aqua, nudging her playfully, "this is why you guys always get in trouble!"

"Because we don't read _memos_?" Aqua murmured incredulously, her eyes narrowing at the brunette before they flashed quickly back to the black haired man.

"Precisely."

"That's bull," Terra muttered, pulling Ven back. The blond boy looked up at him and frowned. He looked up at the man, his eyes slowly taking him in. He was shabby looking, with slicked back hair, and a strange face. His cheekbones were a bit too high, making him look older than he was. If Ven had to guess, the guy was probably in his thirties. Something about his strange, easygoing expression didn't match his eyes.

Ven stepped farther against the wall, a shudder passing through his spine.

The man peered through the darkness at him, his chilled smile becoming something a little more twisted. His eyes flashed with something.

Recognition.

"Oh ho!" The man smirked, his eyes flitting between Ven and Roxas. "Look what we have here!"

Ven felt confusion set in, stirring his untouched memories about. The muck that had been settled deep in his mind was kicked up, blurring his focus. He knew this man, he thought. He could feel the memories swirl around in his head. He definitely knew him from somewhere. His face made his old memories shudder. Something hissed on his tongue, something like a swearword, but much more fierce. Something bitter, and hot.

Who was this man? He made Ventus's blood run cold.

_The air tasted like sweat and paint, his brother's arm cold and sticky against his own. He took a shaky breath, glancing out of the corner of his eye as the light peered closer into their little sanctuary. He swallowed, fear bubbling up in his stomach, causing his muscles to stiffen and freeze. She said to hide. Where was she now? Why had she... no, where was _he_? Why had _he_ let these men down here? Didn't he care about him and Roxas? Or, could that possibly be him with the lamp, edging forward toward the tattered paint tarp?_

_He looked at his brother. His eyes were on him, puffy and bloodshot, saying exactly what he was thinking._

_Where are they?_

Ventus drew a breath, and it rattled in his throat. Who was this man, for his presence to rouse such painful memories?

"Ah," the man tsking, shaking his head. He rose his gloved hands over his head, waving them about. "Right. I never confronted mister man-whore about it before. My bad, I just didn't think it was that important. Ya know?" His one eyed gaze flickered between the two twins, ignoring everyone else in the group.

"Man whore?" Ventus repeated, his eyebrows furrowing. Something about his tone stirred… recognition. Ven's eyes snapped wide. "Wait, Haven't I spoken to you before? About Miss Naminé?"

Braig shrugged and scratched the scar on his cheek. "Yeah, I guess. You're the one I shot, right?" He looked between Ventus and Roxas once more, pursing his lips. "Damn, I should've just killed you. It would've saved us all a hell of a lot of trouble, ya know?"

Ventus blinked slowly, his words having inspiring only confusion. But the man's drawl managed to provoke someone. There was a bright flash in the dim hallway, and a metallic clang sent Ventus's head spinning. What the hell was _happening_? The first people they meet in the an overly strange morning, and suddenly nothing made sense anymore!

Roxas had stepped forward into the light of the morning, his dark Keyblade gleaming with the reflection of the sun. Ventus's eyes widened, his mouth dropping open. The blade was inches from grazing Braig's neck. The man's brown eye sparkled with hallow amusement. Roxas's blade had been stopped short, a spearhead sticking between the key's teeth. Ventus gaped at the sight, unable to register it. A fight? Really?

"Ha! You've got the same glare!" Braig shot a toothy grin at Ventus. "Intimidating for such small fries, huh?"

"Roxas!" Ven scrambled forward, despite Terra's small cry . "Roxas, stop, what are you doing?"

"He's a bastard," Roxas hissed, pushing his sleek black key blade forward, despite the screech of protest from the spear below.

"Uh…" Ven shook his head, grabbing his brother's arm. "Okay, yeah, I know. He's mean. But calm down, okay?"

Roxas's eyes flickered to him, and they widened slightly. "You don't remember," he whispered, his teeth beginning to grind against each other.

Ven stared at him, his fingers slipping from the cloth of Roxas's tee shirt. He couldn't say anything. Roxas was correct. He didn't remember, but he knew. He could tell there was something off about Braig. His mouth opened, but he found he couldn't say anything.

Ven looked back, staring at his friends as they watched, unmoving. They were waiting for things to move. For someone to attack more viciously.

"He shot you, Ven," Roxas hissed, his eyes now back on Braig. "When we were younger. He was the on who shot you. He killed mom and… and then they shot you." The shining black key was thrust forward, brushing against Braig's Adam's Apple.

Ven froze, his eyes trailing to Braig's manic face. Yes… yes, now he remembered. His face always did inspire anger in him. There was never an explanation, but… yes. Ven could see now. He saw very clearly.

_The paint flecked sheet was ripped off the duo, and the boys stared up, taking in the face of the man quickly. Shabby, brown eyed, high cheek bones. That was all Ventus could catch before the initial sound of a gun cocking made him grab his brother's hand. They looked at each other, their thoughts conjoined. Run._

_But they didn't run fast enough._

He couldn't speak. He felt a burning hatred for this man, more than he had ever hated anyone in his entire life. Even Master Xehanort was just a petty annoyance compared to the churning volcanic monster that was festering in the boy's chest. Every detail from that day came flooding back to him. His brother and he… they had been eating breakfast when it happened. They were dressed and ready for school, bantering back and forth about who the 'princess' of the Light Region would think was cuter. His mother had been a brunette. Striking blue eyes, and small lips that always gave their foreheads the lightest of kisses. She was wearing blue that day. A blue dress to match her wonderful blue eyes.

Their father had been upstairs. Working on something, Ventus supposed. Wasn't he… wasn't he always working? Ventus didn't know. He couldn't remember what his father looked like. But he was important. His mother spoke about him, her voice full of laughter. He was a nice man, then. His mother loved him. He had to be nice.

Something troubled their mother, though. Suddenly she was filled with panic. She urged her sons to go down to the basement, and to hide under the stairs. Ventus remembered thinking, _What a silly place to hide, surely someone would see if they bothered to go down there_. But he went anyway, his brother in tow. They were wearing their polo shirts. No need for full uniform when it's only the beginning of autumn.

Ventus could remember the shot. It was excruciating, feeling the little piece of metal sink into his side. Pain erupted from that spot, and shut upward, sprouting little branches of pain along his arms and legs, slithering its way up his nerves, into his head. The pain was overwhelming, and he felt his brain rattle in his skull, dark splotches appearing in his line of vision. Black and white spots were speckling his eyes, and he felt suddenly very week, and very cold. His face was lying flat on the concrete floor, but he felt only his side, spilling a bit of blood onto the gray rock.

"Hey, now," Braig said, tilting his head up as the blade threatened to spill blood. "I shot the man-whore, but I didn't get the honor of killing your precious momma."

"Ven," Aqua whispered from behind him. Ven ignored her.

"He's right…" Ven said slowly, his mind still flipping through these unlocked memories. He pressed his palm to his mouth, feeling bile rise in his throat. He could remember every detail. Even through the pain.

When Roxas and Ventus went upstairs, they were greeted with something grotesque.

She had been slain, their mother. Not by a gun.

There was so much blood… and her face was so… unrecognizable.

_Flesh was hanging from her face and legs, her arms completely devoid of flesh at this point. Her stomach was torn open, a gaping hole followed by another gaping hole. Her brown her limply clung to her meaty face. Streaks of blood decorated the previously pristine yellow tile._

Ventus looked up, slowly lowering his hand. He looked toward the man holding the spear, and he felt all his emotions leave him.

He didn't need them now.

"It was you," he said, his voice cold, and biting.

The side burned man pulled his lance from the blade, his face just as devoid of emotion as Ven was. He resembled a gorilla, his beefy hands clutching the spear. He watched Ven, their eyes meeting. There was a cold silence, one that could make teeth chatter.

The man spun his spear, striking Roxas's side.

* * *

_This chapter was so hard for me to write! I still don't know why. But, anyway, the point is I'm wrapping things up. As with last chapter, this one is just for explanation's sake. Like, ever curious about what really happened to Ven and Roxas's parents? Well you're finding out! ^.^_

_Next chapter was much easier to write. Though I know none of these chapters are my best, I feel like they need to be done. Ugh. Just to add on to the story. You know, to be honest, I'm just doing this, explaining all this stuff, so when I'm done with the story I won't have to look back and think, "OH MY GOD. I HAVE THE PERFECT PAST FOR HIM!" No, because now everything will be done. We already know Aqua's past, though her Dark Region parents are a bit of a mystery. I think they were pretty much just killed by Xehanort when he wanted to pull Aqua into his grasp. They got too attached to her, or something._

_Terra's story will probably never be explored, which is sad. For the most part, his story is the story I gave him originally. His father was Xehanort's younger brother, and Xehanort killed him and his wife so he could gain control over Terra._

_I think I explained Xion's, Vanitas's, and Namine's origins already, right? Tell me right. I think you guys probably remember more about the past than I do at this point. I'm pretty sure Ven doesn't know about Namine, Vanitas, and Xion being... whatever they are. Not that he'll give a shit. I probably could've had him finding out like, fifty chapters ago, and nothing would've changed. He'd be like, "... Ha ha. That's nice, Miss Namine. Want to have some tea, it's very yummy."_

_Oh. And the World Premiere was today. hold me guys. hold me. their speaches made me cry. all of them except for daniel's because daniel is too damn awkward to take seriously._

_Oh, and I'm still on my RinxLen Vocaloid binge. I finally figured out why I like them so much, despite all the squick that can come with their pairing. IT'S BECAUSE THEY REMIND ME OF NAMI AND ROXAS/VEN. DUH. That's aways been my favorite KH pairing, though TerraxAqua beat it before. I think it came back, though. I have more interest in that pairing than I do with TerraxAqua at the current moment. Oh, I also like Rin and Len because their songs are beautiful, and they complete each other. I have a really hard time imagining them with other people. Though I can deal with it, even like it, sometimes, I find myself drawn back to that pairing. Heh._

_Next chapter: Taste of Vengeance_

_... OH SHIT! MAJOR PUN, MAJOR PUN. EFFFF. THAT'S TERRIBLE._

_... I'd ask for someone to give me the troll award, but I totally stole that one from HellfireComms._

_Aqua's a loser, she doesn't have any puns. :[ SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME AQUA PUNS!_


	67. Taste of Vengeance

**White Knight: Sixty Seven :Taste of Vengeance**

"Ah, shit!" Terra cried, grabbing onto Roxas as he stumbled back. The man with dreadlocks didn't so much as flinch as he pulled his lance back to strike once again. Ven cried out as the blade lunged for him, and slipped to the side as quickly as his legs allowed. It was not enough to completely dodge the lance, and Ven felt the spearhead slide against his cheek. It stung a little, and Ven could see several locks of severed blond hair fall to the tile.

The boy snorted. "Well," he said softly. "There's my haircut, then."

"Ven!"

Ven looked up, and he shrieked, flinging himself against the opposite wall, where morning light completely blinded him. The lance skimmed the tile, screeching as sparks paraded across the floor, leaving a grayish gash in the dark glass. Ven squeaked, stumbling to the side as the blade struck the wall, right where his left eye would have been.

"What the hell!" Ven cried, pulling his feet upward into a jump as the spear swept the floor, aiming to get a chop at his legs. "Stop—" Ven hissed, the spearhead slicing through his thin sleeve, cutting into his arm. He spun, picking up his feet whenever he felt the man growing swifter. Ven was easily a blur compared to him, but it was difficult. He couldn't evade his damn spear. It was fast. The man couldn't run like Ven, but he was handy with the lance. He made it as fast as Ven. It was scary.

"Stop—" Ven hissed, blood slipping down his arm. He pushed himself away from the blade once again, narrowly missing another blow to the face. "Attacking—" Ven dropped to the ground as the spear swiped the air a few feet above him, where his torso should've been. Ven gritted his teeth, slamming his palms onto the floor, supporting his body weight as he rose his leg, sweeping the man off his feet in a quick, smooth kick. The man's legs were beefy, and it sent a wave of pain up Ven's legs, but Ven pressed his strength into taking the man down. The man cried out, his spear flying into the air. Ventus smirked, jumping to his feet.

He was correct. The man was slow on his legs.

Ven caught the lance with haste, holding it at his side the blade grazing the floor. "Bastard," Ven hissed, his grip tightening on the spear. He could hear what was happening behind him. Braig and the third man had joined the fight. Aqua was against Braig, Terra against the other man. Aqua was calling to him over and over again, probably unable to see him through Braig's attacks. She seemed to be doing well. Ven could hear the satisfactory grunts of a man who was getting the shit knocked out of him. And the brute Terra was fighting didn't have the same obnoxious quality to his voice Braig's did.

The man with dreadlocks was making his way to his feet, being faster than Ventus had anticipated. He was nearly on his feet when the butt of the spear smacked square into his jaw.

"Sit your ass down," Ventus said, spinning the spear around so the blade was brushing the man's skin, "or I will recreate a rather unpleasant memory out for the sake of fun. You don't want that. I don't want that. Sit still."

The man groaned, cradling his jaw as he glared up at the boy. He spat a bit of blood onto the tile, and gave Ventus a gleaming red sneer. "I know your type," he hissed, his lips curling into a bloody smile. "You don't kill. You just make threats, and try and look tough. But you aren't tough. You are simply a scrawny little waste of—"

_Slash._

The spear slashed across the man's cheek, leaving a nice wide wound to spill blood onto the black tile. Ventus took a step forward, his fingers tightening to the point of turning white on the staff of the spear. He flicked his wrist before the man could so much as bat an eyelid to recover from his last attack, and he watched as the spearhead sunk into the man's forehead, cutting down slowly over his eyebrow, slipping over his eye and onto his cheek where it met that fresh wound from five seconds previous. The man didn't scream. He had no time to.

Ventus stepped forward, so he stood right over the man, the spear in hand. He rose the lance, and flicked. _Splash_. He flicked again. _Splash. _He flicked again, and again. Blood pooled over the man's wounds, splashing onto the floor. Ventus planted his foot on the man's chest as he began to writhe.

"I told you to stop," Ven said, slashing one last gash diagonally across the man's entire face, listening as he let out an agonized hiss-like scream. Ventus squatted down, his face much too close to the man's for comfort. He could smell the man's blood, the metallic stench filling his nostrils. Ven clutched the spear in his right hand, his left arm currently in an odd state. "I told you to stop, and you didn't. Think about that. I gave you a chance. I gave you several chances, and you chose to be a classic murdering son of a bitch."

The man hissed, and Ven watched as his arms moved. He was quick with his arms.

There was a sickening _shlunk._ Ven tilted his head as he slammed the spear into the man's shoulder, listening to his screams. They were screams now. Pain filled, maybe even frightened. Table turner. He had screamed like this once too.

"Let us get one thing straight." Ven slid the spearhead further into the man's shoulder. He flung his blooded head back, shouting something incomprehensible. "I—" He applied a much pressure to the spear as possible, hearing the utterly gut wrenching sound the confirmed Ventus had pushed the blade completely through the man's shoulder. "Will—" He grabbed the staff of the blade with both hands and rotated it, listening as the skin squelched as it twisted. "_Kill_ you—" He pulled the spear slowly from the wound, the cries of the man long fading into a massive blur of screaming. "_Destroy_ you—" He yanked the blade from the wound, blood from the spearhead flicking onto his face. Ventus slammed his foot into the shoulder wound, standing up and effortlessly stabbing the man's right hand. "_Rip_ you apart, and send you in a box to the lab—"

He lifted his leg, and pulled the spear from the man's hand. Ventus stepped back, licking his lips idly, the metallic taste of blood humming on his tongue. "If I _ever_— and I mean it you disgusting slab of bloody meat— _ever_ see your pathetic, disfigured face _again_." He said this with something deadly cold in his voice. Ventus had turned off his emotions completely. He did this with no sympathy, or guilt. He simply did not care.

Ventus turned, twirling the spear in his fingers. He whistled cheerfully as the man struggled to get to his feet. Ventus spun around, kicking the man in the groin as he went about slapping him across the face with the butt of the spear. The man howled, clutching his face with his uninjured hand, curling on the floor in fetal position.

"Please remember," Ventus said, a wide grin appearing on his face. "A scrawny little waste of space just served you your ass on a silver platter. And that I will kill you on sight if I ever see you again." Ventus continued to twirl the blade, before he rested it on his shoulders. "That was fun!" he hissed through his grin. "I'm so glad we cleared things up!"

Ventus spun around, his grin gone. His gaze flickered around the battle before him, taking it all in at once. Aqua was trying very, very hard to not get hit with Braig's odd purple arrow-bullets. But somehow one always managed to graze her, no matter how many times she cart-wheeled out of the way. Soon she was resorting to shielding herself, then attacking him swiftly, causing the grunts Ventus had heard earlier. She was winning, of course. Braig was in worse shape than she.

Terra was kicking some ass as well, though, it was more like watching two guys arm wrestle than battle to the death. Ven tilted his head. It seemed Terra and the man had a mutual sort of muscley guy truce about them, but they fought anyway. Probably because they wanted to see who was the strongest. They didn't seem all that keen on killing each other, and this seemed utterly odd to Ventus, who was pretty much ready to kill a puppy and laugh at this point.

Ven hummed, shrugging to himself. He slipped behind Braig, watching the man with curiosity. It seemed Braig was very in tune with his surroundings. He spun around, his gun against Ventus's forehead, the poky arrow things digging into his skin. Ven stared at him blankly.

"Please." The boy rolled his eyes.

Braig rose his one eyebrow, and laughed. "Whoa ho! Look at the blood on you! Looks like you—" There was a very loud clang, and Braig crashed to the floor. There was more blood on the butt of Ventus's new spear now.

"You talk too much," Ventus said, his voice in monotone. He turned, not noticing the look Aqua was giving him, and bounced toward the other feuding duo. He shoved his spear between Terra's Keyblade and the man's… whatever, hammer-ma-bobber, and looked between them.

"Move back," he said to Terra coldly, pushing him away. He turned, facing the man. He was big. Way bigger than Terra, though, it seemed like all three of them kind of had a superhuman strength quality about them that didn't fit their build. Ven tilted his head again.

"Were you involved in the murder of my mother?" Ventus asked, sliding his spear upward. The man watched him. His eyes were very… Ven didn't really know how to put it. Honest? He didn't seem to want to fool anyone.

The man slowly shook his head. Ventus continued to watch him, his blue eyes narrowing. Was he telling the truth? But then… he did seem different.

Ven slipped his new spear down, away from the man's throat, and he leaned against it. "Right. Sorry, then." He laughed, tapping the tip of his bloodied spear on the tile. "Uh, so…" He looked around at the hallway. "You can go back to fighting Terra, or you can leave, or whatever." Ven shrugged, turning away from the odd man. "Just tell your friends that I'm going to kill them if I see them again, kay? Thanks a bunch."

It seemed that all eyes were on Ventus. Aqua, who was standing beside the unconscious Braig, stared at him with a strange expression on her face. Ventus dragged his spear along with him as he passed her. He paused, his gaze flickering toward her.

"What's with that face?" Ven asked, his head cocking to the side.

Aqua's mouth fell agape. Her cerulean eyebrows furrowed into a deep crease, her eyes widening as she continued to stare at Ventus. "Ven…" she whispered, her head bobbing from side to side in a kind of odd shake. Her gaze flickered from Ventus to the man with dreadlocks. Her expression was torn, and Ventus could see the confliction in her eyes.

"Ha ha!" Ven laughed, resting the spear on his shoulder. "Calm down, Aqua. I just gave him what he deserved."

"Ven!" Aqua cried, her face transforming into a look of pure shock. "Stop it! You're talking like you're…"

"Like I'm what?" Ventus's playful expression was gone, replaced with a cool stare. "Am I scaring you?"

Aqua felt her stomach twist into a knot as she continued to gaze at Ventus. His face was illuminated by the glow of the morning, eerily shining against the shadows. He looked too serious, too cold to be Ven.

"Yes," Aqua hissed, grasping the hilt of her Keyblade with both hands. "You are."

Ven rose an eyebrow, his eyes landing on Rainfell. "Do you want to fight me or something?" Ventus asked, a short laugh escaping his lips as he leaned to the side. "Don't be silly, Aqua."

"Stop it, Ven."

"I'm not going to hurt anyone!" Ven's eyes were wide, and his lips twisted in an annoyed snarl. "What the hell, Aqua! I have the right to be pissed off, and you know it. Don't act like I'm suddenly going to go all slasher on everyone."

"Ven…" Aqua's voice quivered, her eyes flickering to the bloodied man slumped in the light.

Ven glanced at the man with dreadlocks, his lips tugging downward into an irritated scowl. "He _deserved_ it."

Aqua swallowed, pulling her hands to her chest, the hilt of Rainfell clanking against the zipper of her sweater. "Okay, Ven," she breathed. "But _killing_ him…"

A loud clatter filled the hallway, Ven's cry of frustration echoing against the silence. The bloody lance was laying on the dark tile, gleaming in the morning light. He grabbed his head, shaking it furiously. "I didn't kill him, though!" he shouted, gritting his teeth. "That's the _point_, Aqua! I don't… I'm so… _angry_, Aqua, and I can't even…" He bent forward, hissing through his teeth.

Aqua stared at him. "Please calm down, Ven…" she whispered, closing her eyes. "I don't like seeing you like this."

Ven's fingers tightened around his hair, and he slowly rose his head to look at her. His sky blue eyes were cold again, and Aqua felt herself begin to shiver. He was frightening, she realized. Ventus was scary. She'd never put that together before, not ever, and she was still having a hard time accepting it. But it was true. Ventus was scary. He had the air about him that reminded Aqua of a storm brewing over a gorgeous summer day. The tarnished beauty of it made her tremble.

Ventus watched her, his cool blue eyes narrowed as they gazed at her face. She could see him tremble as well. His fingers quivered under the mess of blond spikes, his anger shining in his icy gaze. Then he spun around, stomping toward the nearest wall. He rose his arm, his fist crashing against the gleaming black brick.

Aqua gasped and rushed to his side, dropping her blade. It clattered to the floor, disappearing in a mist of light. "Ven!" she cried, grabbing his arm as he rose his bloodied fist to take another shot at the wall. Ven stood there, his right arm restrained, and his head bowed low. Aqua's eyes darted across the part of his face visible to her. She could see flecks of blood on his pale skin, most likely that of the man Ventus had beaten up. She felt herself steadily loosing her grip on everything. What was wrong with Ven, she asked herself. This wasn't him. He never got angry. Not ever.

But… he did just find out who killed his mother.

Or… wait, didn't he recognize _him_.

Aqua bit her lip and placed both her hands on the boy's arm, pulling it toward her. "Please don't be angry, Ven…" she whispered, brushing her fingers against his shredded knuckles. "It's too unlike you. You have to be happy." She watched as her magic began to get to work, slowly spiraling around the boy's hand, enveloping it in a soft white light.

Ven said nothing, his eyes shielded from view. Aqua could hear Terra's slow footsteps behind her, and she knew he was cautious to approach. He wouldn't do any good in this situation. Ventus was in an odd place. Aqua couldn't… she didn't understand. How could Ven get so riled? He never did anything to hurt anyone, and then he does this…

But then Aqua thought back to Vanitas. Oh, that boy. She and he had always thrown death threats at each other, tossing them around like they were messages that only made sense to the person on the receiving end. Aqua had loathed him. She had wanted him dead. And he definitely had a weird obsession with letting her live only so she could die at his hands at a specific moment. She had never actually planned on killing the boy, but… back in the forest, the night previous…

She had been close to it. She wanted to. She had been compelled to end Vanitas's life, because he had betrayed her somehow. But… he was Vanitas. She should have never trusted him in the first place. Why had she begun to trust him, anyway? Certainly he was just a monster? But then, he could act so strangely human.

Aqua felt something, a strange little twist in her stomach. Something like a flutter. Aqua looked down. Yeah. She wasn't going to deny it this time. There was definitely something there, but she just couldn't get herself to see it. She didn't want to know exactly what it was. She could guess.

She had feelings for Vanitas. She didn't know if she approved of this. She figured, yeah, she had feelings for Terra too, so now she felt annoyed and crappy, so she'd just deal with it all later.

Ventus pushed her out of her thoughts as the boy slid to his knees, leaning his forehead against the brick. He said nothing. Aqua wondered if he was crying.

"Is it wrong?" the boy whispered, raising his injured left arm and pressing his hand to the wall. The cool bricks stung his fingers. "Is it wrong to kill out of revenge?"

Aqua sucked in a breath, feeling a chill run down her spine at his words. Terra was at her shoulder, staring at Ven with wide eyes. He looked as frightened as Aqua was about Ven's personality.

"It's very wrong, Ven," she whispered back, sliding to the floor. "Killing isn't right."

Ven's lip twitched. "No, it's not," he hissed, his fingers closing into a fist.

"Ven, try to understand…" Terra said softly, leaning forward to gently ruffle the boy's hair. "We don't want you to kill anyone… because you would regret it for the rest of your life, and you'd never be you again. I hope you can see that."

Ventus shuddered. He had thought it through. He didn't want to tell them. When he took the spear from the man, he thought it through, the fact that he would feel the burden that he should never bear if and when he killed that man.

Ven turned his head, revealing his face fully to his worried friends. His eyes were tired, softer than they had been before. Blood was smeared across his face, most prominent on his lips and nose. He looked down, slowly pushing back some dirty blond hair from his face.

"Go heal Roxas, Aqua," he said quietly.

Aqua stared at him, her gaze flickering from one twin to the other. Roxas was laying on his good side, staring at Ven with large eyes. It seemed Aqua and Terra weren't the only ones shocked with Ventus's display of anger. He held his injured side in his hands, looking ashen faced. Aqua felt sorry for the two of them. Aqua's parents had died when she was young… and they hadn't even been her real parents. Just the people Xehanort had chosen to take care of her until a certain age. Aqua knew her real mother hadn't wanted her, and she was perfectly fine with that. She still had Eraqus, who was her father in every sense. But Ven and Roxas… they had a family once. One that wasn't made up of good friends and insane children.

Aqua bent down slowly, pulling Roxas toward her. She smiled gently at him. "Hello," she said softly as Aerith went to speak with the bulky man. He had gone and picked up Braig and the other man. It seemed he was ready to leave.

"Hi," Roxas said weakly. He looked past her, at his twin. They watched each other for a moment, before Roxas looked back at Aqua. "Please don't be too hard on Ven. I would've done the same thing. Though… I don't think I would've gotten as much as a thrill…"

"He's spent years playing house with Naminé," Terra muttered, pulling Ven to his feet. "His sanity has obviously suffered from it."

"Heeey…" Ven pouted, elbowing the elder boy. "Don't talk about Miss Naminé like that."

"Will you please defend yourself instead of her? Please?"

Ven rolled his eyes, tugging his hair back. "You'd defend Aqua if it were her and you."

Terra paused for a moment, Ven's words sinking in. The boy then flushed a light pink, and he glared down at the blond.

"Ha. I'm right!" Ven grinned, clutching his hair in his right hand. He turned to Aqua his eyes wide. "Hey, Aqua, do you have a hair tie by any chance?"

Aqua looked at him, her hand hovering over Roxas's wound. She gave him an incredulous stare. "_Why_?" she asked, a bit taken aback.

"Uh…" Ven twisted the bunch of hair he managed to gather in his right hand. Aqua watched him, before rolling her eyes. She kept a hand hovering over Roxas's gash, and nudged her sleeve down with her chin, pulling at a dark blue hair tie with her teeth. Once it was in her hand, she tossed it to her young friend. He caught it, and smiled graciously.

"Thank you, Aqua!" he cried, wrapping the elastic band around his unruly blond hair. Aqua turned back to Roxas, a small smile gracing her lips. He wasn't quite changed yet. Ven was still Ven.

Ven was still Ven…

* * *

_I did not edit this chapter, so bear with me. I'm in Canada right now, coming home early tomorrow, so I gotta hurry and sleep. Before anyone asks, no, Ven is NOT POSSESSED. He's angry. He's insane when he's angry._

_So... Deathly Hallows..._

_MY GOD, GUYS, SNAPE. ALAN RICKMAN GETS ALL OF THE AWARDS. SERIOUSLY. SIRIUSLY. Oh, and LunaxNeville is canon. LUNAxNEVILLE IS EFFING CANON, GUYS. Like, I was watching the movie, getting all critical because Fred's death was not shown, and BAM, Neville appears and he's like, "Have you seen Luna? I'm mad about her. It's about time I told her, since we'll both probably be dead by tomorrow anyway! TOODLES!" THAT MAN. THAT MAN. Neville Longbottom took badass lessons from Professor McGonagall, which is why he owned a whole flock of Death Eaters INCLUDING MOTHERLOVING SCABIOR, WHO IS CREEPILY LOVED BY ME. Like, seriously, so creepy. "Hello, Beautiful." Yeah. I like him. _

_MY GAWD, OLIVER PHELPS, YOU WIN THE AWARDS ALAN RICKMAN AND DAME MAGGIE SMITH DIDN'T WIN. And all you did was sob. But, LORD, it was the most convincing thing I've ever seen any of the Weasleys do. Cept sometimes Rupert convinces me he actually has a thing for Emma, which we know won't happen, but we can dream._

_Oliver Phelps. When Harry turned out to be alive, George turned his head to the side with a grin on his face. But there was no on there. I think he might've said, "Oh, Fred," but I can't remember. I'll confirm tomorrow when I see it again._

_Snape. HOLY YOUNG LILY, WHY IS THAT CHILD SO PRETTY? SOOO PRETTY! ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER IS ADORABLE, AND I'D DATE HIM, EVEN THOUGH HE MAY BE YOUNGER THAN ME. Oh, and Scorpius. Shit, that boy is beyond good looking. AND HUGO. MINI RUPERT. Okay, I'd probably date like... any of male potter children, seriously. Is that weird? I'm sure some of them are younger than me. Hugo DEFINITELY is._

_Oh, and Older Harry? People are complaining that they don't look older, but I thought Harry looked EXACTLY LIKE EFFING JAMES. RIDICULOUSLY SO. Ginny looked weird, though. Actually, Ginny always looked weird. Hermione looked kind of the same, but she'll probably look like that at that age anyway. Damn her beauty, why can we all not look like Emma freaking Watson? Gah. Ron aged the best, I think. Definitely._

_AGAIN, SNAPE'S MEMORIES. WAAAAAAAAAAAH. Oh, damn you, Yates. Gimme my effing OLIVER WOOD. NOW. NOT JUST THAT ONE EFFING SCENE. GIVE ME SOME QUIDDITCH REUNION, YOU BITCH! YOU CAN'T CANCEL QUIDDITCH!_

_LOL. I thought Voldemort's death was pretty. Am I the only one? Probably. I felt that there should've bee some red flecks when Bellatrix and Voldy exploded. Since I'm pretty sure there's some blood and guts and shit inside of them. But whatever. Why did Voldemort hug Draco in front of everyone, and yet die in front of no one? And he disintegrated. How the hell is Harry going to prove the man died? He broke the effing Elder wand._

_Okay, I'll rant more next time. Review with your thoughts on insane!Ven. ^.^_

_Next Chapter: Father's Day_


	68. Father's Day

**White Knight: Sixty Eight :Father's Day**

"Guys!" Aerith gasped, running up to the injured twins and the odd couple. "I just talked to Aeleus! He said that he was given orders _directly_ from Master Xehanort to take care of any person who disobeyed the house arrest command."

Ven looked up at her, his expression slightly puzzled. His twin, who was still being healed by Aqua, didn't seem to notice much. "Aeleus?" Ven echoed, scratching his head. He looked over, and noticed that the large man had collected his friends and left, leaving nothing but a few bloodstains behind.

"Oh." Aerith laughed and sat down next to him. "Yeah, sorry, you don't know him. He's a guard. He's just like… kind of a member of the rebellion, but not, because he doesn't really care much for it. He just covers for us whenever we get our butts into really deep trouble."

Ven stared at her, his puzzled expression turning into a look of blankness that made his face look as eerily cold as it had minutes before. "_Rebellion_?" Ven asked, the word said in a sort of sarcastic, almost incredulous manner. "Come again?"

Aqua and Terra shot each other looks, knowing well that they were responsible for Ven's lack of knowledge on… well, everything. Aerith was looking at them as well, though it was more like a look of question rather than accusation.

"Oh," Aerith said shortly. "It's just a group. Of people. You know, who don't like Xehanort's tyranny." She shrugged, and smiled down at Ven. "Nothing major."

"It sounds kind of major to me," Ven muttered, slumping against the wall. He began to fiddle with a loose strand of scraggly blond hair, his lips tugging downward. "Stop looking at me like that, Aqua."

"Like—like what?" Aqua gasped, her fingers slipping from Roxas's sleeve as she tried to pull him up. She looked down, feeling a bit of guilt wash into her stomach.

"Like I'm going to rip someone's heart out and eat it." Ven stood, shoving his hands into the pockets of his worn flannel pants. "I got angry," the boy hissed, looking up at the ceiling. "Why the hell is everyone so bothered by that?"

Terra and Aqua looked at each other once again. This time Roxas was sitting between them, watching his brother with an odd look of confusion. "Ven…" Aqua said softly. Her eyes landed on the large hole in the back of the boy's shirt, and she shook her head. "Ven, it's not because you got angry…" She looked down, swallowing heavily. Her face shined in the glimmer of white light that cascaded through the windows. "Because… that man… I… saw what you did to him, and…"

Ven turned, looking down at her with his eyebrows raised. "I told you, he had it coming to him. He completely ignored me when I told him to stop attacking."

"It's true," Roxas muttered, rubbing his side. "I heard the whole thing."

"Despite that!" Aqua cried, jumping to her feet. "Despite his obvious lack of morals, and how he's got less feelings than a toothpick! Ven, that doesn't make what you did _right_."

Ven stared at her, feeling his eyes narrow, something curling up deep in his stomach, rising and churning as it bubbled its way up his chest. "He _murdered_ my mother, Aqua," Ven said coolly. "What the hell else do you want me to tell you? Do you want to know what it _looked_ like when Roxas dragged me up those steps and we found our mom slashed up in our kitchen? Because I can give you all the gory details, I'm sure you're _dying_ to hear." He looked calm. Aqua found this odd, and chilling, and definitely frightening. He looked nothing like Ventus. He looked like a stranger in her friend's skin.

"Stop it," Aqua whispered. "I know how you're feeling right now, Ven, but—"

"No, _you_ stop it!" Ven's eyes flashed, his anger completely overrunning all his other senses. "You have no idea how I feel, Aqua! Have you ever been angry enough to want to _take someone's life_?" Ven spun around, his whole body trembling with wrath. "I know it's wrong! I know that I'm going to regret all this later, but I just can't _care_, because all I feel right now is this…" He hissed through his teeth. "I can't even _explain_ it. I've never felt this way, not in my entire life, and I don't like it, and it's scaring me too, and, shit, _stop_ telling me that I have to stop, because I already know that!"

He ended the rant with a gasp, his hands reaching up and grabbing his head, as though he feared it would roll of his neck. Aqua stood there, feeling… nothing. She had a numb feeling in her legs that left her frozen, immobile. She watched Ventus, her gaze so wide it hurt her head. This was Ven. He was still Ven, but it was troubling. He was having a hard time keeping himself. She just wanted to keep him away from all this. She didn't want him to be angry, or sad, or scared. He was Ven. She had to keep telling herself that. He was Ven.

Aqua swallowed, feeling Terra's shoulders bump against hers. She could feel the man's own anger radiate off him. She swore inwardly, knowing Terra's temper was about to be wrought.

"You have got to pull yourself together," Terra hissed, his eyes on the younger boy. He was glaring. "You can't freak out over this, Ven, you've got to move on, and _quick_. The girl you… the girl you basically devote your life to is _missing_. Deal with this later, alright? I'll talk to you about it."

Ven looked down, though something about him still gave Aqua the chills. He stared at the tile so intensely, Aqua felt that it would begin to hiss and burst into flames. This was a scary Ven. She hated seeing him like this. It made her feel like she was loosing her sanity.

Slowly she walked forward. The boy instinctively stepped back, his head shooting up to glare at her. Though, soon, he relaxed, realizing it was only Aqua, only Aqua, he had no reason to get defensive with her, he needed to calm himself. Aqua smiled a little at him, a smile he did not return, and she took one last giant step. Grabbing the boy by the shoulders, Aqua pulled him into a tight hug, wrapping one arm around his head so she could lean forward.

Ventus was stiff with shock, and so he was locked in the embrace. Aqua smiled, her lips moving closer to the boy's ear. He found himself listening to her words, and feeling a little twitch in his stomach, his anger cooling slightly.

"A very wise little teenager told me once, at a time where I was being a total bitch, and I was willing to let someone die just so I could sleep better at night, that _bad people are still people_." She felt Ventus slump against her, her words making an impact. He remember this, yes. "And then," Aqua continued to whisper, "he asked me what kind of person I was."

"I'm sorry…" Ven murmured, his eyes turning wide. He looked down, and buried his face in her shoulder. "I guess that makes me a hypocrite."

"It does." Aqua laughed, pushing him back. "Now, what kind of person are you, Ven?"

Ven looked at her, his face weary, and a tad bit dark. He gave her a half smile. "Me?" he whispered, his lips tightening. "I'm just a servant, Aqua. Nothing more."

* * *

The Dark Region was quiet, the soft noiselessness holding heavily in the air. It was cold, though this was to be expected for a late winter month, snow slushing about the edge of sidewalks. The Dark Region was so quiet, light sounds could be heard in the distance, sounds of distress. The Dark Region was so quiet, it seemed, that the Light Region could be heard from the short distance separating their walls.

Hope breathed in, his fingers brushing against the strap of his rifle. It felt heavy against his back, though he figured it could just be symbolic of the weight the weapon held on his heart. Of course, the gun itself was pretty damn heavy.

He was walking silently down a slightly dim and awfully grungy road, wondering why everything was so silent. The Dark Region wasn't exactly a thriving metropolis of sound, but it sure as hell wasn't a place for you to stand still and take in nature. It was a somewhat crummy little village, nothing more than that besides the mansion and some natural aspects like the forest.

Dawn had turned the sky a strange, fleeting lavender hue. It stretched over the boy like a silky blanket, draping the view he was given with an ever darkening plum. Hope stopped, his fingers still grazing the grooves of the strap's thick fabric. He watched the purple sky with a stunning fascination. He could see the stars twinkling brightly in the dark, vast region that was stained blue, while they speckled over to the violet side of dawn and faded softly into the morning. He found this… beautiful. Comforting, like a blanket draped over his shoulders. The twinkling sky gave him a helping of courage, a nod in the right direction. He wasn't afraid. He wasn't afraid of anything.

His reverie shattered when he felt something press hard against his back. Hope's fingers tightened around the hefty strap of the rifle, letting a slow, soft exhale escape through his lips. He stiffened at the contact of the object against his spine. He felt that this was awfully unnecessary, and ridiculously dangerous (for him, mostly), but he trusted Lightning, and he knew this would work. Better than it would if it had been Lightning walking this street.

"Drop your weapon, and put your hands on your head."

Hope rolled his eyes, raising his hands into the air. Xehanort's guard was so typical. They all sounded the same. Gruff, and dumb. How on earth did Lightning stand it for so long?

"I'm just walking," Hope said, looking up at the sky again. He was wearing a heavy winter coat over his uniform. He had put up his hood a block backwards, his ears turning numb in the chilling morning air. He felt the guard's gun press harder against his back, and Hope's eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm not saying it again," the guard growled. "Drop your weapon."

Hope sighed, sliding the strap of the rifle off his shoulders, listening as it fell onto the sidewalk with a clatter. He rose his hands, which were numb at this point, and placed them on top of his head, slipping them against the heavy fabric of his hood.

"Okay, I did what you said to," Hope said, feeling a little jittery. His knees buckled a bit, the threat of a gun at his back registering in his brain. "Please… don't shoot…" Hope said this cautiously. He didn't know if he sounded fearful or not, but he was beginning to get a little knot in his stomach. She was waiting for the right moment.

"Turn around," the guard said, removing the barrel of his gun from Hope's back. Hope obliged, his hands still at the top of his head. He turned slowly, his head down. He faced his opponent, glancing up tiredly, before his eyes flickered to a shadow moving near a house a few meters back.

Hope did a double take. The man was middle aged, with graying brown hair. His face was lined thoroughly, wrinkles appearing at his forehead. He was younger than he looked, though his eyes were old behind his spectacles.

Hope's first thought was _oh, what the hell._

His second thought was _how the hell did he get into Xehanort's guard?_

The man watched him, his eyes narrowed. Hope stared back, his mouth dropping open. This wasn't right. Why would he…?

"You…" Hope gasped. The man looked down at him, puzzled.

"The orders are to shoot anyone who wanders the streets." The man had nothing more than a handgun. Hope stared down at it, feeling rather lost. "But… you're just a child, aren't you? Shooting children is nonsense." The man was staring at Hope uniform. Not his face.

"You…" Hope gasped again. He sounded panicked this time. "You don't recognize me?"

The man simply rose an eyebrow, his gaze flickering up to the boy's face. "Recognize?" The man tilted his head. "Sorry, no. Now, I'll just confiscate your weapon, and you can go back to your home and stay put, and then no one will be hurt, alright?" The man ran his fingers through his hair, his gun still pointed to Hope's chest.

"It's me!" Hope cried, finding it suddenly very hard to breathe. He flung his hood back, his blue eyes glistening. "How can you not recognize me? It's only been three years!" He looked at the ground, watching his knees shudder beneath him, feeling them buckle against the impact of this encounter. "I know my voice has changed, and I… I've grown, but… that doesn't mean you… _you_… _forgot_…"

The man stared. His face was frozen in a mixed look of sunned confusion. Hope stepped back, shaking his head. "You forgot _again_…" he whispered, looking down.

"No…" the man murmured, his mouth barely moving. "Oh… oh, no…"

Hope stared at him, his eyes widening. Hurt was evident in the murky blue-green. The hurt quickly turned to anger. "I shouldn't be surprised," Hope spat, backing up once more. "You completely forgot I existed once. Why not again?"

The man flinched at this. "No, I…" He stared at the boy. "Your hood… I didn't see…"

"You saw my face!" Hope shouted. "That should be enough! More than enough."

"I… It's been years…"

"Three, actually, and whose fault is that?" Hope glared at the man, his jaw clenched. "Did you seriously forget about me _again_? How could you…" He wasn't just angry. He was heart broken. The feeling of being unaccepted, unwanted, it seeped into his bones. It stung worse than any cut, or bruise, gnawing at his gut.

The man slumped his shoulders, lowering his gun to his side. "When you left… I… I decided I wanted to be better. I tried to find you. But… but the school wouldn't give me your record… and I… had no idea where you went…" He stared at the boy's face, his eyes widening. "Oh, you've grown…"

Hope's eyebrows raised, and he barked a bitter laugh. "What the hell," he sneered, "did you _expect_ to happen after three years? Did you think I would _shrink_?"

"I'm sorry."

Hope shook his head. "Of course it had to be _you_," he hissed. "You! Out of everyone in the guard! _You_."

The man stepped forward, raising his hands. "Hope, I never meant… I wasn't in my right mind! I couldn't…"

"Those are pathetic excuses," Hope whispered, turning around. "I was ten. I had to take care of myself _and you_ at ten years old. I had just seen my mother die, and _you weren't in your right mind, so you couldn't take care of me_." He felt his throat tighten, his voice breaking as this all sunk in. He remembered watching his father lay on a couch, staring at the ceiling with a vacant look in his eyes. He remembered poking and prodding him, telling him it was time to eat dinner, time to go to work, time to go to bed. But he never said a word. He ate when he was starving, he never left the house, and he slept on the couch. Hope had caught on quite fast, when they ran out of food, and he stumbled into a job selling flowers for a maid who grew them in an abandoned church. This was how he had met Serah again. She bought flowers from him, not really recognizing him. But he recognized her.

"_You have asthma, don't you? I mean… the pollen, in the flowers… it'll bother you."_

"_How did you know I have asthma?"_

"… _Um… I…"_

"… _Aren't you… Estheim?"_

"_Um, that's my last name, but, uh… yeah…"_

"… _You lost your mom that day, didn't you?"_

…

"_I lost my dad."_

"_I know."_

…

…

"_Do you want to come to the cemetery with me?"_

"… _Yeah."_

"Hope, I…"

But Hope had spun around, hearing the slightest of noises. The light skidding of boots against the road. He blinked slowly, his eyes adjusting in the dim dawn. Someone was directly behind his father. Someone he knew.

"Wait, Light, no!"

* * *

"Bye, Aerith."

Aerith hugged the blond boy, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Oh, Ventus, you'll be alright. Don't get too angry again, though, okay? It's a little scary."

Ven nodded, smiling back at her. The soft light of dawn fell on them, setting the stairwell alight with a faint yellowish glow. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Aerith pulled back, shaking her head. "I just don't want you to lose yourself, hmm?" She giggled, and looked toward Aqua. The young woman's eyes were tired and unfocused, her hair strewn messily about her face.

"I expect to see you soon, Aqua." Aerith grinned. Aqua was jolted from a daydream, her eyes widening a bit.

"Oh," Aqua gasped. "Oh, Aerith, be careful, won't you? It's… well, if the town is anything like it is in the halls…"

"I'll be fine!" Aerith laughed, twirling a piece of her curly hair around her finger. "But either way, I'm going to round up some rebels around the mansion. Particularly Noel. Sneaky boy, he manages to evade all the important meetings."

"He lives in the room next to me," Ven said softly.

Aerith tilted her head. "Hmm? Oh really? Well! Best be getting upstairs then." She looked toward Terra and Roxas, and smiled brightly. "Keep these two out of trouble, won't you? They have a tendency to get stuck in the most troublesome situations."

"We know," Terra sighed, looking at Aqua. She watched him curiously.

"We're not that bad," Aqua hissed, looking back at Aerith. "Um, so, we'll see you later?"

Aerith nodded, turning to walk up the stairwell. "Don't do anything crazy, guys!" she shouted, waving at them.

"No promises!" Ven shouted back, though his voice lacked enthusiasm. Aqua looked at him. He was still pretty out of it. He didn't seem as happy as one might expect Ventus to be. His face was pale, and his eyes were drooping. He had no intention of playing fake happy, and it was a bit unsettling to look into his sallow face.

The other two noticed this as well. They watched Ventus with caution, and maybe a bit of wonder. The boy turned around, his new spear glistening in the shine of the morning sun. He shot Aqua a tiny smile, one she returned with a burst of warmth radiating from her features. Ven began to walk down the spiral stairwell, his fingers running against the marble.

"Come on," he said quietly. "Naminé's waiting."

Aqua nodded. "Vanitas too," she said in an equally quiet voice. Terra looked at her, though she took no notice. Roxas, however saw something in his gaze. He gave the older boy a pat on the arm as he passed. Terra sighed quietly, his eyes looking upward. Aerith had disappeared from sight, leaving the group to gather up members of the rebellion. They were planning on meeting up at Seventh Heaven to discuss what to do about this 'memo'.

Terra wondered if he should've went with her. Then he wondered about his cousin, who was an active member of the rebellion. Yet… he had acted so strange the previous night.

The walk to the basement was not long. They did not run into anymore guards, though they were on their toes. Ven's new spear glinted eerily, blood shining brightly at the head of the indigo weapon. Terra watched the boy, the young boy with a bobbing blond ponytail, and he wondered once more…

What was happening to him? He held a wrath within him that surprised not only Terra, but Aqua, Roxas, Aerith… even _Ventus_. This wasn't good, not at all.

Terra followed Aqua and Ventus as they made their way downward, down stone steps that suddenly turned glass-like. He couldn't recall being down here before. It was oddly bright, considering it was underground.

The fluorescent lights made the long hall sort of unnerving. Terra walked slowly, while Aqua walked with complete and utter confidence. Ven walked swiftly at the front, his spear already against the metal door. Roxas had fallen back with Terra, looking almost frightened in the bright glow of the corridor.

Aqua called upon her key to assist them with the giant honking metal slab that was supposed to be a door. Terra called his blade quickly after her, feeling that he might need it for this. Though he wasn't exactly sure what _this_ was.

The door slid open with a whoosh, and Terra stared at it. It was odd, the moving door. But then, this lab seemed to be top secret. Terra swallowed as Aqua led the group in. The room was smallish, a simple silver world, gleaming from over washing. It smelled strongly of antiseptic, and it tingled the nose.

"What the hell," he murmured, his eyes landing on the operating table.

Roxas paled considerably beside him. "This is…" His eyes darted to a tray that laid beside the table. "Oh my god…"

Ven looked down, tucking a piece of hair behind his ears. He knew that this was probably where they had taken Sora and Kairi. This frightened him a little, as he stared at the tray as well. Strange little shiny objects glinted brightly in the shine of the fluorescent light. They looked a bit like knives… but then, that one was hooked, wasn't it?

"Not here…" Aqua murmured, moving forward. Ven followed her.

"You've been down here?" he asked, as they entered the next room, a room filled with files. Like the record room. "I mean, farther into it?"

"Not very far…" she trailed off as someone appeared in the next doorway. A man with long, disgustingly pale blond hair. He had a sunken, gaunt type of face, one that made Ven shudder.

The man's crazed green gaze fell on them. "What on _earth—_"

"AHHH!" Ven shouted, thumping the man atop the head with the butt of his spear. "Monster!"

The man stumbled back into a wall. Aqua gasped, recognizing him as the man she had once blinded and knocked out. The man cried out, holding the top of his head.

"OW! WHY YOU LITTLE…"

Aqua stepped forward. The man looked at her, then at her Keyblade. Aqua smirked inwardly, a bit too happy that he recognized her. She rose her blade, ready to strike him with the blunt side of it, but the man simply squeaked, and covered his head with his hands.

"Oh, just go!" the man shouted. "Go!"

Aqua froze, a bit shocked. She looked to Ven, who stood, equally surprised. But he snapped out of it rather quickly.

"Kay, thanks!" he shouted, running into the next room. Aqua stared blankly after him, and looked toward Terra.

Terra looked down at the man, and shrugged. "Uh, let's just go, Aq'. We don't have time to loose here."

She looked back at the strange man, and nodded. She stepped forward, giving the man a sharp look, before quickly making her way into the next room. It was a strange little room, lined with disfigured pods. Aqua blinked slowly up at them. They were wispy things, glimmering translucent glass floating lightly against the walls. Aqua felt a shudder run down her spine as she continued to stare. What were these things?

She felt a warm hand slip into hers. She looked up at Terra, blinking slowly. "Do you know what these things are?" she asked, looking back at the strange pods. Terra shook his head.

"Come on," he whispered pulling her forward. "We need to find Vanitas and Naminé."

She stared up at him, nodding silently. They walk without saying anything, their fingers still intertwined. They left the room, finding the next on oddly blank. Two doors on their left, one on their right, and one straight ahead. The group paused, and looked around at one another. Aqua let go of Terra's hand, wandering to the left, while Ven went straight. Roxas went to the left as well, leaving Terra to go right.

He opened the door, and was met with an onslaught of dust. He blinked slowly, peering into the darkness. It looked like a small room. Terra peered closer, and he made out the outlines of a tiny cot leaning against the far wall. Terra frowned deeply, stepping into the room with a slight hesitation. He turned to the side, and noticed a switch. He flicked it.

The room erupted with a flickering yellow light. It was indeed small, something like a walk-in closet. The walls were off white, waxy looking in texture. The room was nearly completely empty, except for the thin cot laying against the far wall, a flimsy looking stool in the corner, and a dented metal bucket that was treating the leaky ceiling. Terra tilted his head. There was nothing interesting about the room at all. He was surprised. He had expected something crazy.

Terra turned around and froze. He had gotten his wish.

The wall where the door was wasn't completely waxen. It was red. Deep crimson, dried against the wall, frozen in eternal rivulets. Terra felt his breath hitch in his throat as he gazed at the words scrawled across the grayish hue. His eyes widened as he looked closer. No, he was incorrect. Not words. Word.

**EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL**

"Aqua!" Terra shouted, stumbling back. What the _hell_ was this? "Aqua, get in here!"

Aqua ran into the room, her eyes wide. "What is it?" she gasped, leaning against the doorframe. "You gave me a heart attack."

Terra pointed to the wall, and Aqua blinked, looking up. Her eyes flew open wide, and her mouth dropped. She flung herself from the doorway, tumbling into the bucket. Terra grabbed her arm as she fell backward, steadying her. "What do you think?" he asked, looking up at the bloody words.

"Naminé?" Aqua whispered, her eyebrows furrowing. "But I thought I got… well, the room I went into had a lot of pictures…"

"Guys!" Ven shouted from his own doorway. "This way!"

Aqua and Terra glanced at each other, and Terra nodded. The exited the room with haste, feeling a creeping feeling gnawing at their spines.

The next room wasn't as creepy as the room Terra had entered, but it was still pretty strange. There was a broken wooden table in the center of the room, and quite a few dolls strewn about the floor. Though they were definitely not in one piece. Not one of them. Plastic appendages were all around. Terra felt his foot land on a battered arm.

They continued forward, Roxas edging toward Terra. "I think I got Xion's room," he whispered to Terra as they walked into a long, winding hallway. It was dim, and eerie. There were doors lining the walls, but none of them looked quite safe.

Terra looked down at Roxas. "What do you mean?" Terra whispered back, blinking as Ven turned.

Roxas held out something the he had been holding in his hands. Terra looked down. It was a small stuffed cat. He rose an eyebrow. "Uh…"

"Xion likes stuffed animals," Roxas said, looking down at it. "Riku told me so. He said she likes how soft they are."

Terra stared at the boy as they turned again. His shoulder bumped against the wall. "You think Xion slept down here? She has her own room, you know…"

"It think someone lived in that room. And Aqua said she saw drawings in the room she went in." Roxas tucked the cat in his pocket. "I think our missing persons lived down here at one point."

Terra looked down. He didn't want to think about that. Someone living in that room, the one with the blood on the walls? God, why did he live in such a creepy place? He really needed a vacation.

The group stopped. They had come to the end of the endless hallway. One last door.

They entered, weapons at the ready. The room was a lab, of course, and Terra half expected it to be empty. It wasn't. Not quite.

A man, an older man, stood behind the operating table. His finely combed blond hair was pushed back from his face, and his orange eyes were aglow. Everyone recognized him immediately.

"Ansem!" Aqua cried, her eyes flashing. She steadied herself, gripping her blade tightly. "Of course you'd be here."

"Hello, Miss Aqua," the man said, nodding to her. "It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Cut the crap," Ven hissed. "Where are they?"

"They?" Ansem the Wise asked, his deep voice resonating inside the small room. "As in the experiments? Oh, I'm afraid they are not with us at the moment… Though I had a feeling I would be seeing you." His eyes landed on Roxas. "I didn't expect the crowd, however…"

Roxas watched him, a look of disinterest crossing his face. Ven looked at him sharply, as did Aqua and Terra. "I don't want to talk," Roxas said, his eyes narrowing. "What happened to Naminé and the others?"

"Does that matter?" The man blinked. "I honestly hoped for a nice, calm day. Thank you for interrupting that, Roxas."

"Roxas?" Ven looked at his brother. "How does he know you?"

Roxas looked back at Ven, his eyes tiredly scanning the boy's face. "Oh, hell…" Roxas whispered. He looked at the other two, and he sighed. "Can you two wait outside for a minute?"

Aqua and Terra gave him identical incredulous looks, the kinds that told Roxas he was about to get some major sass.

"Seriously," Roxas said, scratching his head. "You guys don't want to be in here for this."

Ven stared at his brother, his eyes widening. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly. Aqua nodded in agreement, folding her arms across her chest.

"I agree," Ansem said softly, stepping around the operating table. "My sons and I have some catching up to do."

* * *

_HO! Oh I caught you, didn't I? I love adding twists like this. They just make me so happy. Also, yeah. I know. Ansem is kinda old. WELL SO IS XEHANORT, AND HE HAD RIKU, SO BOOM. Old daddies. As opposed to Aqua's really young parents? XD This story is so messed up._

_I think someone said they weren't quite satisfied with Ven's story. :3 That's because I didn't explain all of it. Oooooh. Oh, and sorry for the late update. My cousins were in this weekend, and I couldn't really do much writing around them because one of them is five, and he's FREAKING NUTS, GUYS. Seriously, he's like a jumping bean or something. I had to sleep on the couch, right, and everyone morning I'd wake up to this child POUNDING ON MY CHAIR. He's adorable, but a total monster. But he likes Kingdom Hearts, so it's all good. Seriously, though, all he wanted to do all weekend was play Kingdom Hearts, and he doesn't know how to read, so he kept racing Riku (in the beginning of the first one) and I had to keep helping him get to the star. Also, from then on he referred to Riku as 'The Stupid Guy'. _

_Also, I was drawing Korra (asdfghjkl, that trailer, guys, that trailer. Korra and Toph should've been in the same Team Avatar, because then that group would be the most BADASS THING TO EVER HIT TELEVISION, AM I RIGHT?) and he asked me who I was drawing, and I was like, "Korra," and he was like, "From Kingdom Hearts?" And I was just like, "... No... OH. No, that's Kairi." "Kairi?" "Yes." "Oh."_

_No, seriously, guys, I'm so pumped for Korra. And she's so pretty! Way prettier than Katara (I mean, Katara's pretty, but I always thought Toph was prettier than her, and Hama (Nightmare Fuel Hama) was really pretty when she was young as well). Maybe because she's older, maybe because her hairstyle is cooler, maybe because she has badass expressions in all the current screen caps of her, but Korra rocks, guys. Also, Katara's hair kind of bugged me. Maybe that's why._

_Mmm... In other news, Borders is closing, I tried to go hunting for books, but I only ended up with Leviathan (WWI Alternate History about Archduke Franz Ferdinand's son and a girl crossdressing on a giant whale airship so she can persue her ultimate dream of flying? This book, guys. Scott Westerfeld is now on my favorites. Next chapter is even named after something in the Midnighters! And also, I might add something inspired by Pretties later. ;D It involves the kisses Zane and Tally shared in the beginning to keep them bubbly. Yeah, I know, I'm acting like you know and care.). Also, guys, I KNOW THIS STORY IS RIDICULOUSLY LONG, AND I'M SORRY, I REALLY AM, BUT I CAN'T GET FAR WITHOUT... dragging it out?_

_Um, anyway, who has a Tumblr? I want to follow you. I follow no one. ;-; Ten people I follow, seriously. One of them is my sister, and another one is my real life friend. Check out my profile for my Tumblr. I really need to redo that thing._

_Next Chapter: Blue Time_


	69. Blue Time

**White Knight: Sixty Nine :Blue Time**

There was a faint silence. Roxas stiffened at the word Ansem had used. Aqua froze in place, her eyes glazed over in shock. Her gaze was frozen on Ansem's face, her mind revving on overdrive. It was like something had been clouding her vision, preventing her from noticing the slim similarities between the elder man and the twins. Though their facial structures were really nothing alike, what with Ansem's cheekbones being unnaturally high, and his cheeks being a bit sunken (not to mention the man was _old_, and not quite in a Master Eraqus way). But Aqua could see it, looking past Ansem's obvious aging. If he were young, what would he look like?

The room was oddly frozen, the air chilled to a point were an intake of breath was sharp and cautious. Terra's eyes moved from Ansem the Wise to Ventus, who was standing next to Roxas with a rather confused look contorting his features. He did not understand, not as Aqua did, and not as Terra began to. He did not get that the man in front of them was… well…

"What?" Aqua managed to choke out, her eyes still glazed over. She watched Ansem with her lips twitching into a frown. "What are you talking about?"

Ansem's orange eyes flickered to her. He pursed his lips, running his fingers over the smooth surface of the operating table. "I'd rather explain to Ventus first, Miss Aqua," he said, his deep, throttling voice echoing off the gleaming white walls.

"Explain what?" Ven asked slowly, his eyes widening. "What's going on?" His gaze flickered to his twin. "Roxas?"

Roxas's gaze fell to the tile. The boy's lips twitched as well, but he said nothing.

Ven swallowed a lump that appeared in his throat, a shudder passing through his bones. "What's going on?" he whispered. He looked at the man, his heart sinking. "What… do you mean…"

Aqua inhaled sharply. She stepped forward, grabbing Terra's hand, and backing away toward the door. Ven's eyes fell on her, and shock glistened in his eyes. "Aqua…" he murmured, his fingers tightening around his spear.

"We'll be right outside, Ven…" Aqua said softly, her back against the door. "Don't worry, okay?"

"Don't worry?" Ven breathed, clutching the spear tightly to his chest. "I wasn't worried. Not before you said that."

"I'm sorry," Aqua whispered, disappearing from the room. Terra stayed longer, his eyes lingering on Ventus's face. His eyes were soft, watching him with a sense of pity swirling in the cobalt depths. He then shot a glare at Ansem, his fist clenching as Aqua caught his arm, dragging him out of the room. The door slammed shut behind them.

The room was overtaken by the silence again. The shockingly bright white lights casting an unearthly glow on the equally white walls, and it was unnerving to stand still in the eerie presence surrounding the odd laboratory. Ven didn't understand why his knees began to tremble, or why his heart began to thrash against its cage as if it were a ravenous animal trying to break free from its confinement. He could hear the unsteady thumping in his ears, the pumping of his blood rushing in his brain. That couldn't be healthy.

Ansem the Wise stepped forward, his long, wizened fingers still brushing against the cool metal slab of an operation table. "Ventus…" he said quietly, his voice resonating inside Ven's pounding skull. Roxas's eyes were still on the glistening tile below his feet as Ansem passed him, the man's gaze on the younger twin.

Ven stepped back, his lips pulling back in an almost frightened grimace. "Don't come near me," Ven said, his voice strangely steady. He hefted his spear up, the tip of its blade gazing Ansem's white lab coat. A bit of not-yet-dry blood dripped off onto the man's collar.

Ansem stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes blankly watching Ventus's movements. He took a step back, his face expressionless. "I apologize, Ventus," Ansem said calmly. "It seems I've been fooling you for quite some time, now."

* * *

"Light!" Hope screamed, jumping in front of his father as the pink haired woman struck. Both Estheims fell on impact, blood spilling onto the pavement.

Everything was quiet after that. The gloomy light of dawn brightened with every moment. The morning light illuminated the tiny pool of blood building beneath the man. Lightning stood over them, her gunblade hovering over the place where it cut into flesh. Not the flesh of the leg, like she had been aiming for. She hadn't anticipated this happening. She'd been aiming for the _legs_. Just to knock him down. How did she…

The man groaned, and raised his hand to hold his side. Lightning spotted a nice little gash decorating the man's waist. She exhaled, allowing herself to feel a little relief. The wound wasn't fatal, and it wasn't as bad as she thought. She could've sworn she had hit…

"Hope…" the man murmured, staggering into a sitting position. His face was contorted, obviously pained from being slashed with a sword. Lightning followed his gaze, noting that the tiny pool of blood was noticeably larger. Lightning felt something heavy and cold, like a block of ice, or maybe a whole iceberg drop into her stomach.

"Hope!" Lightning cried, feeling her cold and indifferent persona slipping through her fingers. She dropped to her knees, and her gunblade skidding across the road as she dropped it. "Hope, look at me!"

Hope was laying face down, blood seeping through his blazer, and pooling around the large wound in his side. Lightning felt her fingers begin to tremble as she reached toward him. She had done this. This was _her fault_. She had taken a huge chunk of Hope's side out of him, and now he was laying on the ground in complete silence when he should've been in agonizing pain. "Hope…" Lightning whispered, flipping him onto his back. His face was pale, and his mouth was agape. He watched her with wide eyes, his lips twitching.

Lightning shook her head, pressing her palms against his side, feeling the warm gush of his blood swim through her fingers. "Hope, stay with me, okay? Don't die…" She let out a tiny breath, gritting her teeth as she pressed harder against his wound. Hope gasped and flinched, his lip trembling. "Don't you dare die," she growled, closing her eyes. She couldn't. She would never be able to deal with it if he died, especially by her hand.

"I won't…" Hope rasped, tears welling up in his eyes. Lightning looked down at him, strands of wavy pink hair brushing against his cheeks. She stared at him, her cool gaze boring into Hope's. She nodded slowly, looking down at her hands. They were stained red, blood causing her fingers to become slippery. She looked up at the man who was also hovering over Hope, her gaze hard.

"Mr. Estheim," she said, her voice icily sweet. "I didn't recognize you. Would you mind keeping your son from bleeding to death while I go find a doctor?"

Bartholomew Estheim stared at her, his face just as pale as Hope's. Though it could just be fear. "You…" he whispered, his voice trembling. "You… took my son away from me…"

"You were neglecting him," Lightning hissed, wanting very much to punch the man again. "I'm his legal guardian now. But you _need_ to help me." She kept one hand pressed against Hope's side, and grabbed the man's hand. Her slippery fingers slid against the man's skin as she pulled his arm, gently pushing his hand against Hope's wound. Hope grunted, squeezing his eyes shut.

"He's your son," Lightning said, her eyes narrowed. "So take care of him."

She stood up, her bloody fingers grazing Hope's temple as she did so. Blood was smeared across his brow, and his eyes widened. "Light," he choked, reaching out toward her. "Light, wait, don't…"

"I'll be back," Lightning whispered, looking up at the bluish sky. She turned, despite Hope's protests, and walked down the street. She'd go to the mansion. Find Aqua, or Aerith. Everything would be fine.

It had to be.

* * *

The world was tilting. Shuddering, and spluttering. Riku watched the sky, the sun swirling round and round itself. The bloodred horizon stained the rest of the sky deep crimson, and the clouds looked like burnt cherries. He knew that his prison was shattering around him. He knew that he couldn't live without a body forever. But he just wished he could have more time to figure it out. Maybe if he knew more about the world, maybe if Naminé remembered something, even if it were just her name (she kept forgetting, despite his constant reminding), maybe the world would stop burning itself up.

But Riku knew better. Once the sun was gone, they were gone. And so was the playground.

"It's nice here," Riku said softly, looking back at the young blonde. She was sitting next to him on the rickety swing set. Her pale blonde hair curled around her face as she looked down.

"I guess so…" she murmured, kicking up some rocks. "It's warm."

"Yes," Riku agreed. "It's very warm."

"But it's going to get quite hot," she whispered, chewing on her upper lip. "Then it's going to get so cold…"

Riku looked down at her. He exhaled slowly, and looked back up at the sky. "I suppose this isn't going down nicely, hmm?" He chuckled dryly, his hands tightening around the withering chains holding up the swing.

She didn't answer. She bowed her head low, her hair shielding her face from view. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I mean, I'm not sure. I'm confusing myself again…"

"You're always confusing yourself." Riku smirked, rocking back and forth. The playground was keeping them safe from the hellish world for now. But they were not in a good situation. At the edge of the playground's shield, Riku could see grass turning white hot before bursting into flames. It was about time. It seemed like it was taking forever to catch fire.

"Yes, that's true," she said, looking up at the sky, her hair falling back from her face. "But I feel so strange. Lightweight." She looked up at Riku, a big smile playing on her lips. "I like it. I don't… I don't remember ever feeling so free. That's so strange isn't it?"

Riku watched her, feeling a good deal of pity startling his stomach. She seemed genuinely happy to be in the playground. But at the same time she was so incredibly lost, he wanted to help her out. But then, he was about to die. He really should be focusing on the fact he'd never see his friends again. He'd never do anything ever again… he'd never sneak out of the mansion, never tease Sora about his crush on Kairi, never fight, never rebel against his father, never…

"I guess you don't feel the same…" Naminé muttered, pursing her lips. Riku stared at her, feeling a little guilty that she was having trouble remembering who she was. She wouldn't be so happy if she were fully aware.

Riku opened his mouth to say so, but she beat him to it.

"I know it's because I've forgotten," she said, looking straight into Riku's serene blue-green eyes. "You don't have to tell me. I know that if I knew… if I remembered…" She shrugged, and brushed her toes against the gravel, swinging herself slowly back and forth. "I know I've forgotten really important stuff. Really important people…" She slumped forward, her eyes still boring into Riku's. "But I don't really care. I remember what it was like. Before I began to forget, I mean. It felt like my head was going to fall off my shoulders, it was so heavy. But now everything is so light!" She giggled, her hair bouncing as she bobbed her head up and down in a nod. "You know what I mean?"

Riku stared at her. He had never really talked to Naminé before. He recalled, what seemed like long ago, telling the young girl off for destroying Xion's stuffed animals. Xion had a fascination with the little stuffed things, and Naminé had an equally strange fascination with destroying them. He had honestly held a bit of disdain for the blonde girl, finding her a little annoying. But now he didn't find her very annoying at all. She reminded him a bit of Xion, albeit happier. He knew Naminé was always somewhat happy, but he could see now that it was probably just her personality. This was Naminé acting like a normal human being. This was her feeling good. Despite all this… apocalypse stuff.

"I think I do," Riku said, watching as she kicked herself upward, swinging back and forth. "I can't understand, but I know what you're saying."

She smiled at him, her eyes aglow with something Riku couldn't quite get. The blue of them seemed to catch the blaze around them, turning the fiery world a cool gray. Riku blinked, and looked around. The flames surrounding the playground danced in the icy sunlight (or what was left of it), and sounds of explosions died out with a cough.

"Wow…" Riku breathed, the steely blue flames fluttering like silk in the wind. Riku wondered how something so destructive could turn so lovely. Kind of like Naminé herself. The incandescent blue inferno pulsed around them in a spiraling ring. Riku tilted his head, feeling something clench inside his stomach. If he was going to die today, he was glad he could see something like this. It was beautiful.

"What?" Naminé asked, her eyes echoing the color of the icy flames. They held the same glow that the blue tinted world now had. Riku was taken aback by the strange wonder of it all.

Riku leaned back, feeling the heat of the fire clash with the cool color that bled into the playground. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he caught sight of the exploding sun, cold blue and fiery, spinning around itself in the churning cool-sapphire sky. "This world really does revolve around you, doesn't it?" Riku asked softly, his eyes glued to the light colored sky. He'd much rather the world be this color instead of the awful bloody colors it had taken on previously.

"What do you mean?" Naminé asked, blinking up at him. The glow in her eyes faded, and the cold blue was sucked from the world around them. The roar of the sun above them rung in his ears as Riku looked down, kicking some pebbles with the heel of his shoe.

"I mean…" Riku looked at her, feeling the intensity of her confused stare through his silver hair. "I mean that you're the reason we're going to die, Naminé."

Naminé looked down, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I'm sorry," she whispered, biting her lower lip. "I don't know… how to stop it, really. I know it's all my fault, and I'm being selfish for choosing to feel well over our lives. But I can't help it. I don't know how to go back to feeling bad." She skidded to a stop, her bare feet sliding against the pebbles below.

"I don't think it has anything to do with you feeling bad, Naminé," Riku said, looking down at the tiny girl. "Because… just now, when you got really happy, the whole world changed color." Riku smiled slightly, and nodded down at her. "Maybe your emotions are the way we can get out of here."

"My emotions…" she murmured, looking down at her hands. This left her very quiet, and the almighty roar of the sun above made Riku's head spin.

"Yes," Riku said, peering down at her. "If we can tap in to the right emotion, maybe we can stop that stupid sun from turning us into crisps of meat."

Naminé stared up at him, edging slowly away from his face as he peered closer at her. "If it will save us, I'll help…" she murmured quietly. "But I still don't get what you mean by—" Riku cut her off by jumping to his feet.

"Excellent." He grinned, grabbing onto the rusty chains of her swing. "Let's test your fear."

"_What_?"

* * *

"I'm sorry," Ven hissed, his eyes narrowing at the older man. "But _what_ are you smoking?"

"Tobacco, actually," Ansem chuckled, "though only on certain occasions. I might need smoke after this, I daresay…"

"Just get to the point," Roxas said quietly, his own fists clenched in annoyance.

"Oh, Roxas, haven't you learned any patience in my absence?" Ansem asked the elder twin, his orange as sparkling.

"You're a bastard," Roxas said in such a matter-of-fact tone, Ven almost giggled.

"That much is obvious, I'd think." Ansem sighed, shaking his head. "Boys, I know I've done some major wrong."

"Do you see where we're standing?" Roxas asked, his tone so icy, Ven felt a bit of pride swell in his chest. His brother sounded so much like _him_ when he was angry! But… that wasn't really something to be proud of. Oh well, he still was. "This is a laboratory! You experiment on _humans_!" Roxas's shoulder were trembling as he began to loose his temper. "You experimented on _little kids_!"

Ansem sighed again, looking much, much older than Ven had seen at first. He honestly looked the same age as Master Xehanort. "I realize that, Roxas, thank you for reminding me."

"Your snark is not appreciated here."

Ansem looked suddenly very puzzled. "Snark," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Roxas, I still need to explain. Why won't you let me at least do that?"

"Are you _dumb_?" Roxas hissed, his face contorting in fury. "I don't want to know your sick reasoning for making Sora and Kairi go crazy! I just want to know what possessed you to…" He trailed off, his words, dying in his throat. He couldn't finish his sentence.

"Can you _please_ explain what the hell his happening?" Ven asked, his eyes widening. He gripped his lance tighter, gritting his teeth. This was all so annoying.

"I thought it obvious," Ansem said, turning to face Ven once more. "I said it out loud, did I not? I needed to talk to my sons alone. And here you two are. Not the reunion I had hoped for, but…"

Ven felt something heavy drop into his stomach. He felt his blood run cold, and the thought… the mere thought… this was… this man was…

His face triggered nothing. Not a single memory. So unlike the face of his brother, which triggered many, many memories, and the face of Braig, which took awhile, but eventually it triggered quite a nasty memory. This man… he just made Ven feel blank. Everything about him. He just seemed like any other stranger.

Ven swallowed, backing up against the wall. "Please tell me this is a joke," he whispered. He shook his head, looking toward his brother. Roxas just watched him, his fury fading into pity. "Rox?"

Roxas simply stared.

Ven didn't want to believe it. He couldn't. There was no proof. Unless you counted Roxas's silence, which Ven _did not_. He wouldn't accept this. It made no sense whatsoever, and so he would not take this shit. Nope. No he would not.

"Stop it," Ven said, raising his spear higher. "Stop messing with my head. I don't know you. I just met you yesterday, and that's only because Vanitas got sick!" He felt his own anger rise like bile in his throat. "So stop trying to trick me!"

"Trick?" Ansem asked, a chuckle at the edge of his tongue. "Oh, my dear boy, you _are_ a trick."

"What?" Roxas whispered, his eyes still narrowed at Ansem's face. "Now you're not making _any_ sense."

Ansem shook his head, turning away from the twins. He walked to the back of the lab, pulling open a bright white drawer that had been built into the wall's surface. "I'm sorry I am being so unlikable," the man said pulling a thin manila envelope from the draw, holding it up to the light to examine it. "I just need to speak with you. And it's so hard to explain when you know everything you say will just sound completely awful…"

"_Experimenting _on _children_."

"I know, Roxas." The man turned, setting the manila envelope on the table. He watched Ventus, his orange eyes still utterly blank. Slowly, he pushed the envelope forward, leaning back as it reached Ven's side. Ven looked at it, feeling curiosity prickle in the depths of his mind. He tilted his head, lowering his spear as the envelope became more and more tempting. He reached for it, grasping the smooth corner, before edging it open.

Roxas was the one watching this time. He stared at his brother as he pulled out a small packet of papers, his eyes scanning the first page quickly. He blinked slowly, before re-reading that paper, his eyebrows furrowing. He flicked to the next page, looking extremely confused. Ven frowned deeply, catching a peek at the other pages before setting the papers down face first. He leaned his spear against a strange glowing box in the corner, sighing deeply.

"Okay," Ven said quietly. "I want to know what the hell is going on."

Ansem smiled a tight, almost cruel smile. "You don't recognize me," Ansem said, nodding solemnly. "Roxas does, however. And I must say, I can understand his snappiness. I did leave you two, after all."

Ven slumped against the wall, squeezing his eyes shut. "Just explain," he murmured. "Please."

"Well," Ansem said, looking up at the ceiling. "You may remember that day, the day Xehanort's men came for me, but honestly, it doesn't really matter if you do or not. The story is quite simple. I was in my study when you were all attacked. Xehanort is… well, he's an old friend of mine. He had an idea, but he wasn't skilled enough to perform the experiments he needed to have it fulfilled. So he fetched me."

Roxas and Ven were silent, their eyes on Ansem's old face. Ven felt severely confused, and a little distraught. What on earth was _happening_?

"You let mom die?" Roxas murmured.

"No." Ansem sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in slight annoyance. "No, they did that before they came for me. I had no idea what was going on, and I couldn't stop it. However, I managed to get them to call of their attacks on you two."

"Lovely," Roxas hissed, looking away. "This is just fantastic."

"Roxas—"

"You're sick," Roxas snapped, his glare cutting icily into the tension that formed around them. "You were a scientist before all this even happened. You experimented on children. How do we know you never did anything to _us _as kids?"

Ansem's old, wizened face looked even older and more solemn than before.

"You don't."

* * *

_Dodododo. I feel like I'm using these chapters as fillers. We'll get on with the story, don't worry. The only trouble we have now is that I can't figure out why Ven's a trick, and some other stuff from the end of next chapter, which you'll see in a bit._

_So, on Sunday night, I basically stayed up... well, all night with my friends on Facebook (real life friends, that means. XD). We got into Pottermore. It was awesome. FIVE AM, THOUGH. We were just like, "Where's the cluuuue? What the hell, we've been waiting for five hours. Why is it taking so long?" And we made up a Wrock song about Pottermore in our wait, and then the clue popped up, and we panicked, and somehow it was solved (I actually solved it right before my friend gave us the answer, which was cool, and I felt smart, but not really because I used a calculator, as did my friend), and BOOM, ACCES TO POTTERMORE. My username is WolfJinx121. Because I thought it sounded cool. It was that or SpellRiver something. And I liked WolfJinx better._

_Also, who here has watched Gosick? It's an anime I just watched and fell in love with, and IT'S SO CUTE, GAAAAH. I had to keep myself from crying in the last episode. I mean, damn. That was sad. But so cute. What an uber win._

_Other than that, I have little to say. Which is kind of odd. Oh well._

_Sorry for the lateness, yatta yatta, I'm tired, I need to catch up on the sleep I missed three days ago._

_Next chapter: Message from the Previous Tenant_

_Oddest chapter title to date, I think, considering what it refers to._


	70. Message from the Previous Tenant

**White Knight: Seventy :Message from the Previous Tenant**

Ventus felt a little sick. This was too much to take in. He wanted to leave this alone, and go find Naminé. But it seemed Ansem was their best shot to getting to her, so Ven would have to deal. "Just tell us," Ven said softly, his mind drawing back to the file he had been given. "Tell us what you did to us. We won't get panicked. We know we're fine." He glanced at his twin. "Right, Rox?"

Roxas seemed to have to swallow his shock, backing up against the wall next to his brother. "Yeah," he said quietly. "As long as I'm not going to go crazy, I'm fine, I guess."

"Well, no, I never really did anything to you to cause psychological damage." Ansem frowned. "Well, not to you, at least."

"Yeah, I figured it would be me, if anyone," Ven said, his voice still soft.

"Bastard," Roxas muttered, glaring at Ansem once more. "What did you do?"

"I simply ran a few tests." Ansem frowned, adjusting his ascot. "Twins are fascinating, you know…"

"Eh," Ven muttered, and Roxas wrinkled his nose. "Just explain. Seriously."

Ansem watched the duo, his eyes flickering between the two. He took a deep breath, and he nodded. "Yes, yes, alright," he said. "I only… I just tested your bond, a little. I didn't do anything very harmful."

"I'm sure." Roxas scowled. "Your explanations don't satisfy me. Just tell us where Naminé is so we can leave."

Ansem's eyes flashed, and he turned to look at his older son. "_Naminé_," he spat, his voice rumbling coolly in his throat. His gaze flickered to Ven. "Oh, it happened, didn't it? I thought so. I warned Xehanort you'd get too close to her, but he told me to let it be."

Ven swallowed, his mind flashing back to what he had read in the file. He looked down, feeling some heat rise to his cheeks. He had real feelings for Naminé. No matter what a stupid piece of paper said. "I love her," Ven said quietly. "You can't tell me otherwise. You don't have the right to."

"No, I suppose I don't." Ansem stepped forward. "But I would like you to know that that girl can make you feel however she pleases. Love is an emotion. Emotions can be copied. Fabricated."

"Love is real," Ven hissed, looking up at the man. "You obviously don't understand that feeling."

"I understand real love," Ansem said, his tone icy as he glared down at the boy. "Naminé wanted you to love her, so she made you love her."

"That makes no sense!" Ven shouted, shaking his head. He brushed his unruly blond bangs from his eyes, and met his father's fiery gaze. "And don't act like you understand anything! You experimented on her! You made her insane!"

"She made herself insane." Ansem's intense orange glare matched that of his son's. It was obvious where Ven inherited this from. "We had to keep her from hurting herself and others, so we blocked off some things in her mind, and then she took it and warped it."

"You made her insane!" Ven cried, a knot of anger clenching his abdomen. "She hurt more people because she had no idea what she was doing! If you had just let her mind go she would be _fine_, no danger to anyone!"

"That's is not true," Ansem said, his glare reaching a frightening height of coldness. "Binding her mind was the only way to make sure she wouldn't get out of hand. Her powers are the most dangerous, and one little slip and she could cause chaos all around. We did what we had to, Ventus, and the girl's sanity was a small price to pay." The man broke eye contact with his son, turning abruptly to face the opposite wall. The anger radiating of Ven was something to fear indeed. The air was thick with the tension spread between father and son, and it was suddenly very hard to breathe. Or maybe they were just afraid to.

"You're so wrong," Ventus whispered. His fists were clenched at his sides, and as Roxas watched him, he wondered if his brother would throw a punch. He hoped so. "You don't know anything! Naminé isn't dangerous! Or at least she isn't alone! _You_ made her a threat, and then _you_ failed to fix it properly. That's not her fault."

"You act as if you understand what she is capable of," Ansem hissed, turning his head slightly so his cool orange eyes met Ven's face. For the first time, Ven felt a little shudder pass through his spine. This man was frightening. This gave Ven an odd rush of surprise.

"You act as if she's evil."

"She's not human." Ansem turned around slowly, his expression rock hard. "I know it's hard to accept, however I beg you to—"

"It's not hard to accept," Ventus said quietly. "It's impossible."

Ansem stared at his son for a moment. He rolled his eyes, and sighed deeply, shaking his head. "Oh, Ventus, I was hoping you would understand—"

"I understand fine," Ven said, standing up straight and kicking off the wall. "She's… different. Maybe she was born differently. Maybe she's dangerous, and she needs to be put under control. But despite that, she's still a human being. I can't allow you to tell me that she's a bad person, or that she's not worth it because she was created, or something!" Ven stepped toward the old man, his eyes set in fierce determination. "I'm not some pawn that you can use to your own advantage, you know, no matter what that stupid piece of paper says. Whatever you say to me from now on? Screw it. I don't care."

Ansem stood with a still expression, his eyes still boring into Ven's with a distinct coldness. There was a chilly silence, and Ven felt a bit nervous standing under his… father's stare. He still didn't really understand how this man was his father, but he'd accept it. He'd adapt, because that was the name of the game. He could not simply be confused and puzzle over things, no matter how much his mind constantly badgered him to. There was too much at stake.

"You accept that the girl was created?" Ansem asked, placing his hand on top of the thicket of papers he had given Ven.

Ven scowled at the man and folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, I do, and I really don't want to know the details. Just tell me where she is."

"You accept that she has ungodly powers? You accept that she could have twisted your emotions to her will?" Ansem looked almost amused now as he watched his son, his orange eyes twinkling in the awful bright lights above.

"I accept everything about her!" Ven shouted. "Good and bad! I understand and accept her, and that's more than anyone's ever done for her in her whole _life_." Ven stepped forward, gazing up at the man. He prodded the man's chest with his index finger, a scowl deepening his features. "I'll say it once again, Ansem. I don't care what any piece of paper says. I'm not your pawn, nor is anyone else. Stop treating the world as if it's giant game of chess."

"Can someone please explain what's going on?" Roxas groaned from the corner, looking rather distressed. Ven blinked, his finger sliding from the smooth silk of Ansem's ascot. He had completely forgotten his brother had been there for a moment.

"Sorry," Ven said quietly, stepping away from Ansem. He grabbed hold of the papers beneath Ansem's hand, slipping them from under the man's skin. He then handed the packet to Roxas, watching the boy's expression carefully. Roxas took the papers carefully, his eyes landing immediately on the picture paper clipped to the pages.

"This is you…" Roxas murmured, raising his hand and brushing his fingers against the old photograph. "This is a picture of you from when we were younger."

"That would be correct," Ansem said with the a sharp edge to his tone.

Roxas shook his head slowly, his eyes darting about the page. Ven still felt sick from reading it once before. He imagined Roxas was feeling the same. That piece of paper held some exceedingly overwhelming information, though Ven figured he should probably just snuff out his emotion of surprise altogether considering how screwed up his life was. He was tired of getting shocked over this crap. Naminé was a created human being? Sure, okay. Father is a psycho? Fantastic. Remember mother's sliced up corpse? Not all that shocked, but beat the shit out of the murderer anyway.

And it was barely past dawn yet. Today was going to be a fantastic adventure indeed.

* * *

Naminé screamed as she was flung from the swing, landing and skidding to a painful stop on her side. Riku tilted his head, his lips twisting into a frown as she curled into a ball on the asphalt. He had not meant for her to fall off the swing. He just meant to scare her. Apparently she didn't understand the concept of holding on to the chains so she wouldn't go flying. Oops.

It worked though, he noted, glancing up at the fiery sky as the deep crimson sun spluttered, and spat a burst of blue across the scarlet sky. The world was suddenly very silent, even despite the utter chaos swirling above and around them. The blue fire danced around their haven, flickering in the cool light. How fascinating this little world was. And his theory was correct! The world was triggered by Naminé's emotions! She cooled it down when… when what? She was feeling an intense emotion, like happiness, or fear, or pain?

Well, he hoped he didn't have to continue hurting the poor girl. She was already a mess without having to beat her up. Which he really wouldn't do, but still…

"Sorry," Riku coughed, hurrying to her side. The blue world glowed around her more than it did the brilliant cerulean flames, or the steely explosion above. What was she, anyway? She seemed more like a tiny white fairy than a human being.

Riku bent down, extending his hand towards her. She did not move at first, making Riku get a bit nervous. What if he had accidentally killed her? A bit of guilt swelled in his stomach. He really didn't mean for her to fall off the swing. Though, he hadn't really known what to expect, considering some people might enjoy getting pushed so high on a swing the whole metal mass was trembling. Riku leaned closer to the tiny girl, his eyes widening as the serene blue world was drained once more into a fiery wasteland.

"Hey…" he murmured, poking her hair gently. Suddenly she sprung up to her knees and slapped him. Riku fell back on his bottom, rather dazed for a moment as the small blonde glared at him, her eyes looking as if they'd pop out of her skull.

"What…" Riku gasped, holding his cheek gingerly in his right hand.

"Why would you do that?" she cried, clutching her right arm tightly. "What… I don't like you! You're rotten, and mean! _He_'d _never _do that to me, not ever! You stupid bastard, if he were here right now he'd…" she trailed off, the fire in her eyes melting away. She suddenly looked just as dazed as Riku.

"I'm sorry," Riku said softly.

She blinked slowly, and collapsed back on her bottom, looking utterly lost. She tucked her knees to her chest, her eyes widened with every moment that passed. She opened her mouth and let out a shaky breath as something hot and wet slipped through her lips. She looked down at her hands, her eyes wide as more liquid slid down her cheeks.

Riku froze, his mouth dropping open as he watched the younger girl begin to sniffle. "Oh," he said his voice rather devoid of emotion. "Oh, don't cry. I really didn't mean to hurt you."

She shook her head as she began to sob quietly. She hastily tried to wipe her eyes with the back of her arm, but she had no such luck. "I—I…" Naminé gasped, tears flowing freely from her eyes, slipping onto the dark pavement. "I don't kn—know why I'm cr—rying! I—it's not because I—I—I—" She swallowed heavily, and gasped, shaking her head. "Not because of pain," she rasped, clutching her chest as she begin to sob uncontrollably. It was more like hiccupping than sobbing. "I fe—feel _awful_, stupid boy, _awful_."

"I can tell," Riku murmured, sitting up straight. He looked up at the sky, and noted that there was no change in color. It looked as if the spiraling mass that used to be the sun was spinning faster than before, turning a deep, deep crimson. Blood on fire, maybe. He looked back down at the sobbing girl, and gave her a light pat on the shoulder. "But… why are you crying, exactly?"

"Stop being so awkward!" she snapped, scooting away from him. "You're awful at comforting!"

Riku sat for a few moments, too stunned to speak. What on earth? "Fine," he said icily. "I won't comfort you."

"Fine!" she hissed through her teeth, hiccupping again. She looked down, tears still steadily streaming down her face. She swallowed again, and watched as her hands trembled. "It's just…" she whispered, her voice cracking miserably as her lips trembled. "I… I have this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach… and… I feel so sad… sad… sad…"

Riku looked at her, his eyes softening as she buried her face in her knees.

"Sad… sad… sad…"

* * *

"Sad… sad… sad…" the blonde whispered, swaying from side to side as tears trickled down her nose and cheeks.

The black haired duo said nothing. The only watched her, the girl looking rather sad, while the boy looked simply disinterested. They were waiting for the moment. They knew they would have to split up soon, and that the chances of seeing each other again were slim. Naminé's crying did not sate the dire urge to spill her emotions onto her cheeks. In fact, it just made her feel worse about the whole ordeal. She was successfully controlling the girl, no fuss, no mess. But it hurt so bad, and the girl's memories were almost too much to bear.

The black haired girl calmly reached forward, gently wiping the blonde's cheek with her thumb. The taste of crème filled her mouth, startling her a bit. She was sinking into familiar territory, however, and the crème was turning almost sour on her tongue.

_Waiting for dawn. Sleep was awful, because it meant no more play, no more fun, no more sunshine, no more light. The white room was suffocating under the surface of the tightly compacted barrier of thoughts, and she hated it with a burning passion. She wished for a room with more color. Yellow would be nice, she was fond of yellow. Yellows and blues. And _some _white, of course, but not too much, because then it became overbearing. She knew what was happening, but all the same she didn't and it was too fuzzy to understand where the day had went when laying in bed. This got better, however. The more time she spent in the sunlight, the more the darkness inside her mind dispersed. Snapping forward into the world was incredible, and refreshing, and oh, that wonderful sunlight, where was it now, why wasn't it here? _

Xion pulled her hand back from the tiny blonde, feeling tears build up in her own eyes.

It was obvious to Xion now. Naminé's connection with Ventus delved deeper than any relationship Xion had ever come across, and that included her close ties with Riku.

But the problem here was the sunlight was missing.

Her mind was darker than night now.

* * *

Roxas swallowed and set the papers down on the table. He glanced at Ven, who was watching him with a blank expression, waiting for a reaction. He got none, however, and Roxas simply sunk back into the shadow of the corner, frowning deeply. He didn't seem to know what the papers meant, and Ven didn't blame him. He was confused as well. But he could recognize his own handwriting, despite the obvious change when he had relearned how to write.

"What do you think?" Ven asked quietly, staring at his brother hopefully.

Roxas coughed, and glanced at Ansem. He looked back at his brother. "He manipulated you," the older twin said in a hoarse voice.

"Well, duh." Ven rolled his eyes. "But what do you think of everything else?"

"Well…" Roxas cleared his throat and straightened a bit. "I think Vanitas, Naminé, and Xion are created beings. Vanitas definitely has a connection with Sora. And Naminé's condition is similar to Kairi's in a way, except Kairi is much better off."

"And what about Xion?" Ven asked, pursing his lips. "I agree with you, I immediately thought of Sora and Kairi, but Xion seems… well, out of place."

Roxas simply shrugged. He looked at the table where the papers sat, his eyebrows furrowing. "Well, she's obviously not normal…" Roxas stuck his hand in his pocket, his fingers brushing against the small cat he had picked up earlier. "Otherwise there's no reason for her to have a room down here."

Ven glanced up at Ansem. He stepped forward again, his eyes narrowed. "Tell me where they are," he said, his voice harboring a deadly chill within it.

Ansem merely smirked down at his son, the twinkle from earlier back again in his eyes. "You are a foolish child," he said softly.

"I want to know where she is!" Ven cried, grabbing his spear. Roxas hissed quietly, but Ven simply ignored him, holding the spearhead up to the older man's cheek. "I have to protect Naminé. I… I'm her knight." He gripped the shaft of the spear tighter, his eyes flashing with anger. "I won't let you hurt her. I don't care who you are!"

The man's smirk only grew, the blade on his flesh having no affect on him. "A knight indeed," he rumbled, his deep voice echoing in Ven's head. "You said the same thing to me when I brought you here those four years ago, Ventus."

Ven blinked, and lowered his spear. "Wait," he said slowly. "I said I was going to protect Naminé? Four years ago?"

"In a way…" Ansem said, tapping the papers gently with his index finger. "You said something about being a knight. Quite suitable, considering…"

"I said… what?" Ven gasped, his eyes flickering to Roxas. He was sharing his shocked reaction, his lips parted in a gape.

"You said you would be a knight for the girl with a broken mind. I suppose you don't remember that. But you said so. In fact…" the old man paused, his orange eyes twinkling once again with fervent amusement. "You were a bit captivated by her when you met her the first time."

Ven felt his spear slip through his fingers, clattering to the tile. "The first…" he murmured, his eyes going wide. "But I… I never met Naminé before I became her servant. I never… but she'd…"

"She'd what?" Ansem asked, tilting his head. "Recognize you? That's terribly amusing. She didn't care enough for you to remind you that you met prior to that time."

"She always acted like I didn't exist…" Ven whispered, feeling suddenly very lightheaded.

"The keyword in that sentence, young Ventus, is _acted_." Ansem chuckled, tapping the papers again with his index finger. "She always noticed you, silly boy. She was just as captivated by you as you were with her. Oddly, she didn't want to approach you. She was extremely unhinged at that time, but whenever she spoke to me— which was never really often, but it was frequent enough— she spoke about her lovely servant, whom she figured out quickly enough was in relation to me. That, I suppose, she remembered from your first meeting. She spoke of growing tired of not noticing your actions, though I'm still not sure _why_ she chose to ignore you for all those years."

Ven felt his knees begin to tremble beneath him, and he stared at the white tile below, his mind spinning. "She… noticed me… that whole time…?" he breathed.

Ansem simply rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Oh dear…" he murmured. "Boy, let me tell you this. I have a stack of little journal entries I had the girl write for me at one point. Though he thoughts were a bit inconsistent at times, her sentences were clearest when focused on you. So let me offer up a challenge." The man chuckled and looked down at the papers again. He gently tapped them once more, his eyes softening slightly. "If you can save that girl, and then come back here in one piece— and I don't mean your corpse— than I will give you all of them. Sound like a deal?"

Ven's eyes brightened, and he straightened up quickly. "That means you'll tell us where she is!" he cried, a great swell of happiness building in his stomach.

"Indeed," Ansem said quietly. He frowned, watching the boy with a curious stare. "She's probably in the Light Region mansion at this point. So I'd be quick to get over the wall before anyone gets killed."

Roxas jumped at this, his face transforming into a look so panicked, Ventus's heart began to pound against his chest in empathic fear. "The mansion?" Roxas gasped. "But Sora! Kairi! Master Eraqus!"

"Indeed." The old man nodded. "Best be quick if you want them all to survive. I'd also suggest bringing along a few others. I suspect the whole region is a mess at this point." He paused, and his eyes narrowed. "Oh, and don't be daft, and tell anyone that I told you. I would rather my head be kept on my shoulders, thank you."

Ven nodded quickly. "Yeah, sure, whatever!" he gasped, spinning around. Roxas was already at the door, pulling it open.

"Ventus."

Ven spun around as Roxas ran out, quickly yelling the missing creations' location to Terra and Aqua, who were sitting comfortably on the floor. They were possibly eavesdropping, but probably sparingly.

Ansem tossed the purple lance at him, and Ven caught it quickly, blinking up at the old man. He swallowed, and nodded. "Thanks," he said quietly, turning around.

He stopped midway. Turning around once more, he tilted his head at his father. "Why did you erase my memories?" Ven asked, his voice betraying his mistrust. "If I was so willing to become Naminé's knight, why erase my memory?"

Ansem tapped one of the papers on the table, the certain one he'd been tapping the entire time. He frowned, his cold orange gaze, for once, not meeting Ven's vibrant blue one.

"You asked me to," Ansem said quietly, tapping the paper again, as if testing its strength.

Ven stared up at him. He felt no shock in this, for he was out of shock for the day. But he felt lost, and a bit hurt by himself, wondering why poor eleven year old Ventus could possibly want to have his memory erased, to get rid of his friends, his new family, his twin brother. To wipe something of that importance from his mind, even after the weight of being beaten up and tossed into the forest pressed on his brain…

Ven nodded curtly, and turned away, walking down the winding maze of a hallway and disappearing from sight.

After a few moments, Ansem let out a long sigh. He stared at the piece of paper once again, and tapped it lightly. "I hope this ends well," he murmured, picking up the paper and photograph. "It appears you were right, Ventus. You chose not to side with us after all."

_Ven,_

_You'll never remember writing this. Don't worry about it, it will just hurt your head. I just hope I didn't change that much after losing my memories. Dad says I'll forget everything, even my name. Almost like I did a few weeks ago after being found by Terra and Aqua. They haven't been allowed to see me, and it makes me a little sad. But happy, at least, because there are people who actually want to see me. Anyway, I just want you to understand a few things. One, I was you, but now I'm not, because I lost all my memories. So I think I died. That's okay, though. Dad says there's a good chance some of my memories will come back if there's a strong enough trigger. Roxas would be a good one. But he's still in the Light Region, and dad says he thinks I'm dead, which I kind of am. Well, I will be. In a few minutes, when I get my mind wiped._

_There's a reason why dad's doing this to me. To us. But I can't say. It's a big secret. You may be confused, but don't be. You'll be okay. Just do what dad says, alright? He may act like a jerk sometimes, but he really does know best. And I know it's hard to trust him with some things, because he's done some weird stuff, like create people out of… that's a secret too, never mind. But that's another thing. You have to make sure those people can do what is planned. I don't know why. Oh, and stay away from that when it happens. Don't be close to anyone. Especially someone who might draw anger from you. You have to be the good person._

_Look, I don't know what has happened in the time that's passed since you read this letter. Dad said you'd have to remember at least some of me to read it. So obviously you've remembered something about my life. Please note that I give my complete permission to dad to do this. I don't know if you understand. I hope you do. I hope you're having a good life too. I trust dad. So I'm doing this._

_However, I'm not sure if you trust him. If you choose to change your loyalties, I can't change that. I apologize if this isn't what you wanted. But I want it. So tough luck. I feel like I'll be so different when my memories are gone, but I don't know. Maybe we're still the same? Maybe I'm not dead after all. I hope not. I don't want to die. But I'm not really afraid to. I hope that doesn't change. I think it's a good quality to have._

_Just remember to keep that shield up, okay? Forget about the sword. Actually, I don't think I can use my Keyblade anymore anyway, so no problem!_

_Did you understand that? I hope so. I have to go become you now. Be happy, okay? Don't hurt anyone, try and trust dad. _

_Oh, and if you can, try and tell Roxas, Kairi, and Sora that I'm still here. Though that might be a lie at this point. Ask dad about them if you don't know who they are._

_Take care._

_Ven._

* * *

_Did not edit this. Just warning you. I'm too tired to do so, so I'm sorry for the mistakes. _

_Also, next chapter is a painful filler, and I don't understand how the hell that happened, it was unneeded, and when I tried to make it longer to advance the plot my mind was just like, "Lol, no, this is how this chapter ends, do that in the next chapter." So, expect a filler. I'll try to write quicker, but I dunno. I'm obviously not going to finish this before school starts. And I always say that this is going to be finished soon. Its almost the year anniversary of this fic, so it's been a while. I'm just going to say that this won't end for a while and hope karma just does the rest so this is wrapped up in a few chapters. XD_

_So tired... anyway, any of you guys watch Tiger and Bunny? Shit, episode 20..._

_So, if you're looking for anime, I'd suggest Gosick and Tiger and Bunny. Also I recently watched Baccano!, so that too if you haven't watched it already. Czeslaw is my favorite. =D He's so adorable._

_Next chapter: Slippery Slope_


	71. Slippery Slope

**White Knight: Seventy One :Slippery Slope**

Ven grabbed Aqua's wrist, pulling her along the hallway in his haste. Terra was left behind, spluttering words of annoyance. "Ven," Aqua gasped, her eyes widening. "What happened? What did you mean about your memories…"

Ven froze, stopping in his tacks. He looked down at Aqua, his eyes widening. Terra stumbled to the boy's side, looking rather irritated by Ven's speed. Ven stared at Aqua and frowned a little. "Nothing," he said calmly, tugging her forward. "Just something I had to ask him about. Not a big deal."

"It sounded like a big deal!" Aqua dragged the boy to a stop, her eyes narrowed. "Ansem was the one who took your memories away? And your memories were actually _taken_ _away_ by someone, you didn't just have amnesia due to trauma. Ven, that's a huge deal!"

"No it's not!" Ven shouted, grabbed her arm again. "Aqua, I don't care about that stuff. It changes _nothing_. I lost my memories four years ago, and just because now I know how it happened doesn't change that it happened. I wouldn't be here today if it hadn't."

Aqua looked up at him. He seemed taller again. Not much taller, but… it felt like he was growing up faster and faster with each day passing. Aqua couldn't believe the boy was only a year younger than her— Vanitas's age! That was so odd, she could barely stand to think about it! But… anyway, it didn't matter. Ven was growing up, and she had to accept that. She looked down, pulling her arm away from him. "Fine," she said softly. "We'll talk about this later."

Ven smiled, and nodded eagerly. "Yeah, definitely!" _If there _is_ a later…_

Terra sighed, ruffling his dark brown hair with a light touch annoyance evident in his features. "What did you find out?" he asked, frowning at Ven as the boy turned to him.

"Well, I found my father," Ven said weakly, smiling a little. Terra snorted, and Aqua looked down at him, her eyes softening. "And I found out a bunch of other stuff that doesn't matter right now. Come on." Ven turned on his heal, flinging himself down the hallway at full speed. Aqua cried out as he ran.

"Wait, Ven!" she gasped, running slowly after him. "Ven! Ven!"

But Ven was already out of sight, speeding down the twisting hallways with great ease. He could hear Aqua shout for him, but her words were muffled. He did not want to speak with her at the moment, so he'd just run until he had to actually tell them where they were going. That would work fine. Though, it would probably be good if they had a plan… but they'd lived this long without planning things out before it happened, so might as well just continue on this path.

The basement of the mansion was a maze-like structure, though the main route was pretty straight forward. Go through the hallway until you reach the dead end. Ven had no clue what was behind the doors lining the strange hall behind the main rooms, but he was not about to find out. He pushed his way through the room where the missing ones apparently slept for some time, and continued on through the door. He was begging that Naminé was alright, his mind drawing away from thoughts about the girl to cool down. He wasn't sure how he was going to pull this off… he couldn't really remember the Light Region too well.

He spotted his brother after running into the first lab, slowing to a steady walk as he passed the operation table. "Roxas," he said, nodding his twin who was currently holding his dark Keyblade up against the neck old scientist from earlier. "Having fun?"

Roxas blinked, his gaze flicker to Ven. The boy rose an eyebrow. "Not particularly," he said cautiously, his gaze landing once more on the old man's face. His crazed green eyes were bulging out of his head. "I'm not really a sadist."

Ven simply shrugged, twirling the shaft of his brilliant purple spear in his hand. "Whatever. What'd he do?"

"He tried to attack me when I came in." Roxas tilted his head. "I suppose he's got brains for books alone, huh?"

"Yeah, that's usually how it is with old men." Ven chuckled, tapping the ground with the bloody tip of his blade. "Too bad. Uh, so, knock him out?"

Roxas continued to hold his Keyblade level with the man's throat, tightening his grip on the key's handle. The man squeaked, glancing at Ven with a suddenly shocked expression. "Harsh, much?" Roxas murmured, his eyebrows furrowing.

"No, not really," Ven said, smiling brightly. "It'll save us the trouble. We don't have time to be fighting old geezers like him. We've got older fish to fry."

Roxas snorted, moving swiftly out of the way of a sliver of ice that had been flung at his head. "Yeah, I know, I know." He glanced at the chunk of ice that had slammed into the opposite wall, shattering on impact. "I guess this old guy has more tricks up his sleeve than expected." The old man was watching the twins, looking utterly terrified. His face was turning quite pale, and it was obvious Ven and Roxas were frightening him.

"Was that ice?" Ven tilted his head at the wall. "How'd he do that?"

"I dunno."

"Why are we wasting time?" Ven tilted his head back toward his brother. He scowled, and watched the old man with an angry pout. "Just knock him out already."

Roxas sighed, raising his Keyblade to bump the old man on the head with. However, the man scampered out of the way like a giant, pale, nasty rat. Roxas blinked, watching as the man stretched out his long, wizened fingers, gathering a twinkling mass of what looked like crystals into the palm of his hand. Roxas's eyes widened as the man flicked his wrist, another sliver of ice flying at his face. He ducked, listening to the crash as the ice made contact with the metal door.

"Hey!" Ven cried, hoisting his spear up. "That's not nice!"

The man flexed his fingers, waving his hand upward. A long spear of ice materialized in front of him, as sharp as a blade and as long as Ven's lance. Ven gaped, not sure how to react to the display of power. He didn't realize so many people could do magic. It kind of defeated the purpose of keeping Aqua's hidden for so long.

"Shit!" Ven gasped, jumping forward as the old man flicked his wrist to the side, his hand jerking in a circular motion. Roxas wasn't quick enough to dodge the ice, but he managed to slash through the oncoming spike of ice with the sharp square teeth of his blade. The ice shattered in midair, sending shards flying. Ven felt a stab of pain in his left arm, however he ignored it. He flung himself against the wall as a flurry of icicles flew past him. He could hear Roxas hiss in pain, obviously getting stung by the icy shrapnel.

Ven looked down at his arm, finding a little wedge of sharp ice had buried itself inside his arm. His eyebrows furrowed as he tucked his spear under his arm, quickly yanking the four inch long shard from his bicep. He swallowed, glancing up at the old man as he continued to summon up his ice magic. He seemed to be using quick hand and wrist motions to collect and project his power. It wasn't clear how that worked, but Ven could see the old scientist flex his fingers widely, the twinkling of ice crystals forming rapidly in his palm. Ven's eyes narrowed as the shape of the icicle formed rather quickly in midair. Roxas was wiping his face to clear his impaired vision, so he was useless at this point. Ven pushed off against the wall, clutching his spear tightly in his right hand. He could hear rushed footsteps from the outer room, but they were too late. Ven was going to deal with this.

He ducked forward, slipping easily in front of the man as the icicle finished forming, and the man twisted his wrist in a strangely unnatural way. Ven raised his lance, gripping it with both hands before swing the shaft forward, whacking the shard with the blunt edge of the spearhead. The ice shattered, what was left of the shard falling to the floor or hitting the opposite wall. Ven avoiding slipping on the now watery floor as he sprung forward, careful to watch the man's hands. It seemed the man was quick to continue attacking. His persistence was irritating.

As the man stretched his fingers out to summon the magic required to control the ice, Ven gently swung his spear up, watching as the blade made contact with the old man's outstretched hand. The sharp edge of the spearhead cut clean through the man's index finger, sending a good chunk of it flying into the air. The man let out a screech of terror, and pain, stumbling backwards into the operating table. Ven pursed his lips, twirling his spear around with a smooth twitch of the fingers. And with a flick, the butt of his spear connected to a head for the fourth time that morning, knocking out its third victim.

"What the hell, Ven?" Terra gasped, stomping to the younger boy's side. His metal boots narrowly missed the upper part of the old man's index finger that was lying on the watery ground, bloody pooling up against the light liquid. "What do you think your doing, hacking off someone's finger?"

Ven glanced up at the older boy, noticing the not so subtle anger that twisted Terra's tanned features. His cobalt eyes were dark, shadowed by his eyebrows which loomed far down his forehead. Wrinkles appeared at his brow, and an furious sort of snarl graced the man's lips. Ven watched this without so much as a flinch, wondering idly when he had grown to become so uncaring. Cutting off a guy's finger was nasty, and even Terra's fearsome wrath couldn't shake him. Was there something wrong with Ven? This was unusual for him.

Ven turned around slowly, giving his spear a tiny flick. Blood was shaken off the already red blade, dotting the wet floor. He walked toward his brother, watching the boy carefully as he hastily healed his wounds. Roxas was getting really beaten up today. Ven hoped his twin could continue on without getting himself killed. Roxas looked up to meet his brother's gaze before his eyes flickered to the unconscious man. His eyebrows furrowed confusedly at the man's missing index finger, however Roxas took it better than expected. He simply looked back at Ven and let his expression turn impassive.

"Come on," Ven said quietly, moving forward. His bare feet felt a little numb crunching against the tiny shards of melting ice.

"Wait a second!" Terra grabbed his young friend's arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Ven, I let you go before, but this is just insane! You can't just cut off people's fingers! You have to control yourself, alright? You have to—" Ven's eyes flashed dangerously, the boy's cold blue gaze as sharp as a blade. He whipped his head to the side, his disturbingly icy and cutting eyes staring into the dark depths of Terra's.

"Let go of me," Ven said in an even, emotionless voice.

Terra was taken aback by the lack of tone despite the obvious wrath buried in the boy's cool gaze. But Terra stood firm, tightening his hand over Ven's skinny wrist. "No," Terra said, his own voice holding the same monotone that his friend had uttered.

Ven's nostrils flared as he exhaled sharply through his nose. "Let go of me!" Ven cried, his cool and collected tone shattering like glass against a hammer. He tugged at his arm, his feet sloshing in the icy debris that littered the lab. "Let go of me now, Terra! _Let go_!"

"No!" Terra growled, clutching the boy's wrist as tightly as he could without cutting off his circulation. Ven pulled desperately to free his arm from Terra's grasp, grunting in exasperation as his bare feet slid against the wet tile. Aqua and Roxas watched this exchange with expressions of horror and shock. Ven looked ready to take a jab at Terra with the gleaming purple lance residing in his right hand. It was only then at Terra noticed the blood gathering around the fabric of Ven's upper arm. He was injured, and yet he was fighting Terra so badly to get out of talking to him? Was the boy going nuts?

"Ven, stop moving and _listen_!"

"There's no time!" Ven screamed, twisting his arm in an awkward angle. "Let go of me! You're _hurting _me, Terra!"

"I realize that! Just keep still, would you?"

"Only if you let _go of me_."

Terra let out a soft growl under his breath, slowly relenting to loosening his grip on Ven's injured arm. He let go after a moment of debating, and Ven slipped, collapsing backwards on his bottom. The boy glared up at Terra, gripping his spear tighter in his hand. Terra stared at Ven for a moment, before laughing softly. Ven's eyes widened in confusion for a small moment, before realizing the situation. Obviously Terra would laugh! He had just fell on his bum!

"Terra!" Ven whined. "You're so mean! First you yell at me, and then you hurt my already bloody arm, and then you make me fall on my butt, and then you laugh at me? I didn't realize you were such a jerk!"

Terra's laughing came to an abrupt stop, and he stared down at his friend. "Oh," he murmured. He bent forward, extending his hand toward him. "Sorry, Ven."

Ven took the man's extended hand, pulling himself to his feet despite the injury to his arm. Ven smiled a little at his older companion, however it didn't seem to be all that real. Ven rolled his shoulder gently, throwing a glance past Terra at Aqua. "They're in the Light Region," he said softly. "We have to act now. No more dilly dallying."

Aqua brought her hands to her chest, her fingers locking over a string that hung from her neck. "They're…" Something seemed to have struck her, and struck her hard. She marched forward, brushing past her friends, and lifted her arm up to the side of her. Her Keyblade took form in her hand with a flash of light, and Aqua pointed it at the door, watching as the door unlocked and slid open.

"Let's go," Aqua hissed, stalking forward into the illuminated hallway. She paused for a moment as the others followed her with a sense of confusion. She glanced back of them and nodded to Roxas and Ventus. "I know time is a little short, but you two need to get dressed, and fast. Go now. You're faster than us."

The twins exchanged glances, taking in each other's appearance. There was a giant hole in the side of Roxas's shirt, not to mention the other small holes that appeared to be all over his clothing. Ven also had an array of holes in his own clothing, not to mention a bloody arm. Ven shrugged and started forward slowly. Roxas followed his lead, edging past Terra.

"What'll you guys do while we change?" Ven asked as he passed Aqua.

"We'll be outside." Aqua pushed him forward. "Run, okay? You were right, we don't have the time to dilly dally."

Ven nodded sharply, starting down the hallway at a well enough speed. Roxas once again followed at a slightly slower pace, obviously unsure about the whole thing. However it seemed it struck him again that Xehanort was in the Light Region. So that meant they had to move. And they had to move fast.

* * *

"Look," Riku said slowly, pulling the girl's hands away from her as she began to tug at her hair. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Shut up!" Naminé cried. She hiccupped, tugging her hands back to her chest. The skin on her right arm was kind of shredded, blood oozing from dirt infested brush cuts. "You hurt me!"

"I didn't mean to." Riku's eyes widened as she gave him an almighty scowl, her light blue eyes narrowed in distrust in anger. "Please trust me. I really didn't mean for you to get hurt. That just happened."

"That doesn't make you any less of a jerk!" Naminé jumped to her feet, stomping away toward the merry-go-round.

"Shit!" Riku hissed, stumbling to his feet as well. "Naminé! Don't be like that, okay? I swear I didn't mean it!"

"I hate you!"

"I'm sorry."

"I don't care!"

"Please. We need to work _together_, or else you might as well kiss your life good bye." Riku looked up at the shuddering sun above. It gurgled a bit, fire bubbling over the crimson tinted clouds.

"What life?" The blonde girl snorted, climbing atop the circular mass of rust. "I can't remember anything about myself. I have no life."

"Not true!" Riku tumbled forward as the girl weaved her way into the center of the merry-go-round. He caught hold of one of the rusty handles, steadying himself so he could look at her. She had her back turned to him. "Just because you don't remember, it doesn't mean… you don't still have a life!" Riku stepped cautiously to the side in hopes of seeing the young girl's face. "Don't you dare give up. You have people out there who love and care for you."

"Who?" Her eyes flashed down at him sharply, the vivid blue giving of a wave of intensity as she turned and leaned forward. "Who cares about me, stupid boy? They're obviously not very important if I can't remember them."

"You're trying _not _to remember," Riku said coldly. "That's why."

Naminé's eyes narrowed and her mouth twitched, a sign that she extremely irritated with him. "I can't remember," she said quietly. "There's a huge difference. Now leave me alone."

"Well it's not like there's exactly a place for solidarity here," Riku muttered, watching as the girl ducked under the bars of the merry-go-round, dropping back onto the asphalt. Riku glanced at the fire. It was still roaring with life outside, not really slowed by the girl's anger. So that did nothing. Great. What emotions could he test out next?

"I'll help you," Riku said quietly. She ignored him, dusting off her bloody white dress and tossing her hair gently over her shoulder. "I'll help you, Naminé. Your memories are still there somewhere, and—" He paused mid-sentence, watching as the girl whipped her head to the side, her eyes gazing at the center of the playground very closely. Riku followed her gaze, catching sight of a flutter of black. However, Riku thought nothing highly of it. It was obviously a trick of the light.

"Naminé…" Riku said slowly, reaching toward her. Her head snapped toward him, her large blue eyes widening. She stepped back a little, her eyebrows furrowing slightly in confusion.

"I'm sorry," she said slowly, raising her hands to keep him at a good distance. "Who are you?"

* * *

Terra and Aqua stood in the courtyard silently. She was drumming her Keyblade against the stone ground nervously, her eyes darting around the area in search of Ventus and Roxas. However, the twins were taking a bit of time. Or at least it seemed that way to the anxious teens. Terra was a bit calmer than Aqua. He was not connected to anyone there, and he knew people could easily recognize him as the Red Man who had killed countless Light Region citizens. Last time he had gone to the Light Region, he hadn't been so concerned. Now he was worried about how people would react. Would they attack him? Would they run from him? It all depended…

He pushed thoughts of his past murders aside. The past was the past, and now he had to repent. That was how it worked. He couldn't be dwelling on it every moment of every day. So he focused on Aqua. This task was easy enough, and he felt the need to speak to her about… everything. They always talked to each other about everything wrong with their lives, and it was no different now. They kept no secrets from one another. She had even told him about her… relationship with Vanitas. Though he wasn't sure if it was exactly a relationship. It bothered him nonetheless, and he felt himself growing a bit jealous.

"Terra?" Aqua asked, looking up at the brunet man. Terra blinked, shaking himself out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" he replied, looking down at his blue haired friend. She watched him, her cerulean eyes dancing in the morning light. Dawn was here, and the sun was now above the horizon. The light cast by it was pure, and bright. Very refreshing, somehow.

"Terra, I want you to know that…" She swallowed, glancing down at her Keyblade. "You're my best friend. And I love you. You know that, right?"

Terra was extremely taken aback. Had she said she loved him? But she hadn't meant it that way, of course…? Terra glanced away from her face, feeling his own cheeks heat up slightly. "I love you too," he said quietly. "And of course I know that, Aqua." His eyes flickered to her face and his expression changed to dubious. "What is this about?"

Aqua looked up at him, her eyes widening. She shook her head, her messy blue hair flying about her head and landing in a crazy position. "It's just… something…" she took deep breath, pulling her Keyblade closer to her. "Never mind. It's nothing."

"Don't lie."

Aqua shot him a glare, her face hardening. "Fine," she said shortly. "I just wanted to make sure that you knew that just in case I die today."

"What makes today different from every other day, Aqua?" Terra chuckled and shook his head. Aqua just stared at him. She then focused her attention on the smoke billowing up from behind the wall.

"You should have told me the boom came from the Light Region."

"There wasn't really a lot of time," Terra said quietly. "And don't change the subject!"

Aqua sighed. She wasn't in the mood to discus her theory about Vanitas, especially not with Terra. She didn't want him to feel any worse than he probably already did from hearing the news about their shared kisses. But it was obvious Terra would nag it out of her. She knew that this was it. This was the day everything changed. It wasn't really because she could sense it, or anything. It was just obvious. Vanitas, Naminé, Xion, and the Master gone. To the Light Region, no less. That meant they were screwed, and big time.

She opened her mouth, however a voice cut her off.

"Aqua." A pink haired woman came thundering into the courtyard, looking like a hellish goddess. Her pretty face was harsh, lips twisted into an unkind grimace. Aqua noticed she was dragging a man, probably someone from the guard. She couldn't tell if he was alive or just unconscious.

"Lightning," Aqua whispered as the woman dropped her victim. Her face turned a bit softer, and the light from the morning sky provided a gleam of white to wash over her face.

"I need a healer," Lightning croaked, her anger fading into the abyss. Her face broke into a stark expression of desperation. "Please. Quickly. Hope's hurt, and…" She exhaled sharply, glaring at the stone beneath them. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be!" Aqua gasped. She rushed forward, her large blue eyes meeting Lightning's narrowed ones. "I can fix him. Just lead the way."

Lightning looked obviously shocked for a moment. She composed herself quickly and nodded, spinning on her heel and marching out of the courtyard. Aqua shot Terra a glance.

"Um," she murmured, chewing on her lower lip. She turned slowly to face him. "We'll meet in the Light Region. Okay?"

He nodded, wondering for a moment why he couldn't go with her. Then he remembered the twins. Aqua gave him a gentle smile, and she swept forward, embracing him tightly. Terra winced as the hilt of her Keyblade jabbed his side, though he was quite happy she had decided to hug him. She stood on her tip toes, pecking him on the cheek, before pulling away from him and backing away. "I'll see you, Terra."

"Count on it."

Aqua grinned broadly before running after Lightning, her Keyblade still at hand.

* * *

_I didn't edit this chapter either. I apologize, but I always end up editing very late, and I'm effing tired right now. So please excuse the mistakes in her, alright? Alright._

_Not sure what happened in this chapter, but it's filler, and OH, THERE'S A FIGHT, RIGHT? I like fights. You'll see them more next chapter._

_Actually that's basically all next chapter is a about. Just saying. Dunno why I decided to do this, but, you know. I'll finish this story eventually, guys. I guess I just have to take my sweet jolly time in doing so. Ugh. My bad._

_I miss ranting. What should I rant about? The fact that I don't have my Pottermore welcome email? Soon, soon, soooooon. It will come eventually._

_Is it weird that I'm really hoping I'll be in Slytherin, even though I'm usually more of a Ravenpuff?_

_Next chapter: Electric Battle_

_I got this idea from a RinLen fic I've been reading._

_Shall I tease you?_

* * *

"All alone now," she purred. "Hope you're as quick as your name implies, _Ventus_."


	72. Electric Battle

**White Knight: Seventy Two :Electric Battle**

Lightning was very quick. She easily snuck her way off the grounds of the mansion, navigating her way to the town with incredible ease. She was very good at sneaking around. Aqua was finding it a little hard to catch up with the pink haired woman. She was extremely focused on reaching Hope, and Aqua did not blame her. In fact, Aqua could see a bit of herself in the older woman. Aqua too was motivated by her friendships, and if anything happened to Ventus, or Terra…

She'd do anything to get to them.

"Miss Lightning," Aqua gasped, flailing her arms as they slid down a rather slippery hill. Melted snow had made the ground wet. "How did Hope get hurt, exactly?"

Lightning did not falter was she strode quietly onto a nearly abandoned street. People were creeping out of their houses, or at least peeping out windows. Aqua could see a few brave souls wander down the street, though keeping close to the shadows for the most part. Lightning was watching them as well, slowing to a stop in the middle of the road. Aqua slowed herself down as well, walking calmly up to the woman. She spotted a man halfway down the street, cloaked in red and gliding slowly down the road, his tattered cloth wavering in the wind.

"Miss Lightning?" Aqua asked slowly, looking up at the woman. She was quite tall, it seemed.

"It was an accident," Lightning said slowly, in a low and quiet voice. "I didn't mean for him to get hurt."

"But…" Aqua murmured.

"But," Lightning hissed, "he did. It's my fault."

Aqua stared up at the woman. The morning sun caught her wavy pink hair, making it look almost a light blonde color. She sighed a little, shaking her head. "Miss Lightning—"

"Don't call me 'miss'," Lightning snapped. "That's stupid nonsense."

Aqua raised an eyebrow. She pursed her lips and gently tapped her neck, as if checking to make sure the string hanging from it was still there. "I apologize," she said quietly. "Lightning, then. What happened exactly between you and Hope?"

Lightning's eyes flashed coldly down at her. She inhaled sharply, turning away. "There's no time to explain," she hissed. "He's loosing a lot of blood… and I don't trust Bartholomew to keep the kid from dying."

"Bartholomew?" Aqua asked, easily matching Lightning's pace as she swept forward. It was easier now that she had caught her breath.

"Hope's father." Lightning sighed. "Of all the people to come across…"

Aqua looked down as she quickened her pace. Hope's father, huh? Her eyebrows furrowed. "Today especially," she murmured, pulling her hood up as a gust of chilling wind swept along the roadside.

* * *

"What happened to Aqua?" Ven asked, looking around the courtyard. He was now fully dressed, wearing a mildly plain outfit, one that he might've worn a few months previous. Though the dress shirt was un-tucked and wrinkly, it was still a little strange to be back in these clothes. Not by choice, really, as his regular clothes had yet to be washed, and he had a surplus of button downs.

"Lightning showed up," Terra said, stretching his arms a bit. "Hope's hurt, I guess. She needed a healer."

"Is Hope okay?" Ven gasped, feeling his chest seize at the thought of losing yet another friend to this day.

Terra looked down at him. He looked away quickly, turning around. "I don't know," Terra said. "She didn't say."

Ven looked down, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Um…" he whispered, closing his eyes. "Okay. Okay, let's go."

"Go?" Terra echoed, and Roxas looked at his brother warily.

"To the Light Region." Ven passed Terra, moving out of the courtyard. Terra looked down at him, obviously surprised.

"Aren't you worried about Hope?"

"Of course I am!" Ven snapped, looking up at Terra with a cool gaze. "Hope's my friend. He may not be… as close to me as you and Aqua are, but that doesn't mean I don't care about him!"

Terra looked a little taken aback, but for the most part he just stared. "I'm…" he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Let's go."

Terra closed his eyes as the young boy disappeared, leaving an air of coldness where he had stood. He wanted Naminé back as well. Without her, Ven acted different. He had trouble being himself. It was possible it was just that he was worried about the girl, but Terra figured it was deeper than that. She had always been around him, right? She had been there with him as he developed his personality after amnesia. It was odd, but… he must've really depended on her.

Terra stepped forward, Roxas following him quietly. The boy reminded him of how Ventus had been in the earlier weeks. Just silently following everyone around, picking things up, but keeping them to himself. It felt like so long ago… but really, it was only four years. Him, Aqua, and Ventus. Terra had always felt like the three of them were as close to a family as three people could get. But now… they were still close, but not the same. When had this happened? Was it because of his feelings for Aqua? Or because of Vanitas's intervention? Or because of Ventus's crazy messed up love with Naminé (though Terra did believe the two of them complimented each other in the oddest way)?

It was all so confusing. Missing the way things used to be, and reminiscing about them, but also thinking about things that have happened recently. He really had no idea how he had managed to fall for Aqua, because… she had been his best friend for so long… how does that change so quickly? He tried to remember what it was like not having a crush on the girl, but… just imagining the old memories of them together, playing tag in the woods, and him listening to her sing. It just made him feel all the more attached to her.

This was extremely bothersome. He needed to focus on what they were doing now, not on Aqua. She would meet them in the Light Region when she healed Hope. For right now, he needed to get him, Ven, and Roxas into the Light Region. Though Roxas seemed to know the way out on his own, Ven was kind of wandering a bit.

Something prickled at the back of Terra's neck. His hair stood on end, a chill running down his spine as a sixth sense kicked in. Danger was approaching, and it was approaching fast. He felt his Keyblade spring into his hand, the sound of running footsteps giving him a jolt. They'd been spotted? Really? Terra jumped forward, grabbing Ven by the shoulder and pulling him back. There was a thick taste to the air around them, heavy and acidic as if rain were about to fall. Terra felt his stomach lurch as an almighty _crack _filled the air, resonating across the sky and in his ears. Right where Ven had been standing a moment before a crackle seized the air, sending a flash of zigzagging light through where Ven's heart should've been.

"Damn!" a smooth, high voice shrieked. "I almost got him."

"What'd you send a lightning bolt at him for?" another voice asked, this one much more lax, though chipper in a way.

Ven backtracked quickly to Terra's side, clenching his fist around his lance. Terra noticed the boy was easily carrying the thing in his right hand, holding it reverse-gripped. That was interesting indeed. Terra glanced to his other side, and he noted Roxas had summoned his Keyblade as well, the gleaming onyx key looking a little ominous in the glow of the morning. However, Ven's blood stained spear was a smidgen more threatening. Even if it was purple.

"Seriously?" Ven hissed, his eyes falling on the duo creeping toward them. They were obviously part of Xehanort's guard. Although, they looked a tad young. At least the male did, anyway. The female was kind of vicious looking, her sharply curving features reminding Terra of snake.

"Oooh, look!" the woman cried, her index finger stretching out to a thin point at them. "Keyblade wielders! How _shocking_."

The male glanced at her, and Terra could spot a good amount of fear creeping into his features. He was obvious scared by this woman, and it wasn't hard to see why. She had the presence of a viper and the smile of a shark. Not to mention, she was actually very pretty in a devastatingly cruel way. Her lips were tight, and her flawless skin was as pale as a death. Her green eyes were alight with sick enthusiasm, looking like two gleaming emeralds.

"Who are you?" Ven asked, tilting his head at the woman. Her eyes sparked with interest as she laid eyes on Ventus.

"Aw," she cooed, her voice sharper than a razor. "Look, this one isn't a Keyblade wielder at all." Her green eyes trailed down to the lance that was held tightly in the boy's grip. Her lips curled into a savage grin. "Or does he even need one?"

"Larxene…" the male said quietly.

"Fight on your own, water boy," she snapped, her face contorting in rage. The male jumped back a few steps, and whimpered.

"I'm no good at fighting!" the male whined, his eyes flitting between Roxas and Terra as Larxene approached Ven slowly.

"Uh huh," Larxene replied, her lips twisting into a smirk as she neared Ven. Ven's eyebrows furrowed, and he tightened his grip on his spear. He wasn't in the mood to screw around. They needed to get to the Light Region, and these people were in their way. Ven was ready to fight to get through, since it'd be the most efficient way to get these goons off their trail.

But before Ven could raise his blade, the edge of Earth Shaker was against Larxene's throat. Ven froze in his place, as did Larxene. She looked up at Terra, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Easy, big boy," she hissed. "I just want a little fun. And you… well, I can see your combat style by looking at you." Her harsh smirk returned, and she tilted her head up at the man. "You deal critical hits with one blow, right? But with great strength comes poor agility, and—" She flashed a grin, and Terra's eyes widened. He stumbled away, but it was too late. The woman's weapon had already sunk deep into his side, and a crackle filled the air around them. Sizzling flesh could be smelled from a good few feet away, and Ven gaped as the woman rounded on him quicker than a whip. Her face was inches from his, and her unknown weapon was coming close to taking a jab at his shoulder. Ven skidded back, watching a flash of green and yellow as the woman's hands blurred through the air.

"What the—" Ven gasped, slipping away from the woman as she dove forward again, her fingers tightened in a fist, as if she were about to punch him. Were those _knives_ sticking our of her hand? That was freaky on so many levels! Ven raised his spear as she danced around him, her eyes twinkling with malice.

"You're fast, kid," she laughed, her voice piercing through his head. He swallowed, nudging the shaft of his shield up as she brought her weapons down close to him. The sound of screeching metal collided with the echo of thunder in the morning sky. Ven screamed, feeling a sudden jolt run through his arm, pain jabbing at his very bone. The spear fell on impact, and Ven was standing frozen in shock. Actual shock, it seemed, as his right arm convulsed in midair, even after the spear was gone from his fingertips.

"Ven!" Roxas cried, running to his brother's aid. Terra called out the boy's name as well, holding his side gently in his hand. He appeared to have healed it, but not quite good enough. Roxas dodged a swipe from the woman's claws, slamming the blunt edge of his blade into her stomach. She stumbled backwards, knocked completely off balance.

"S—" Ven hissed as his arm twitch uncontrollably. "Shit!"

"No fair!" the woman screeched. "This is one on one! No meddling!"

"Well your friend isn't much of a fighter, so I hear," Terra said, his eyes narrowing at the blonde woman. "So it's more like three on one when you think about it."

Her eyes widened a bit, before they narrowed into slits. She held her stomach, looking rather pissed with the whole situation. Ven pulled his arm down to his side, pulling down the sleeve of his left arm with his teeth, and scooping up the spear with the crook of his leg. He grabbed it, careful not to let his skin brush the metal, and he watched the woman as she gazed between the three of them. She then smirked, a little bit of her gleaming white teeth showing as she straightened up.

"Took you long enough," she said in a loud, painfully condescending voice. Terra froze. He felt it again, the prickle at his neck. But it was much closer now than it had been with Larxene. It felt…

Terra dove to the ground, listening to the air whistle as a scythe passed just overhead. Rolling on his side, he ignored the searing pain in his side, glancing up at the person responsible for almost beheading him. His eyes narrowed. Not another sadistic woman coming into play. Larxene was quite enough of that for Terra to handle for the rest of his life. He felt Earth Shaker return to his hand, and Terra pulling himself soundlessly to his feet. The woman… no, it was a man, it seemed, tilted his head at Terra as the man readied his blade.

"This is most unusual," the man said, his voice surprisingly deep. "Fighting a man of the Keyblade… an honor indeed."

Terra rolled his eyes. He let out a tiny breath, feeling his side ache a little. No matter. A little scratch couldn't hold him back form this. They needed to meet Aqua in the Light Region. And they would do it. So Terra raised his Keyblade, feeling the heavy thing lift from the dirt, and he swung.

Metal clanged against metal, and sparks fluttered in the cool morning air. Ven spared them a glance before moving forward against Larxene. He was done playing defensive. The woman was going to pay for hurting his right arm. The woman watched him, her eyes still gleaming. She seemed to fancy this fight. Like she had been expecting Ven to get back up and come at her. She was a strange woman, he'd give her that. Roxas raised his sleek black blade, but a slap from a… water silhouette sent him stumbling back a little. With a glance it was confirmed that the male from earlier had joined the fight. Little clones of water were dancing around him, and the sound of a strange type of music sent them moving. The clones were literally dancing! Now that was kind of cool!

"All alone now," Larxene purred. "Hope you're as quick as your name implies, _Ventus_."

Ven's eyes narrowed. "How do you know my name?" he hissed, his grip further tightening around his spear.

"Does it matter?" She tilted her head, crossing her arms so her strange green and yellow claws met. She then attacked, her knives flying forward, slicing through the air where Ven's arm had been. Ven circled around her at a faster pace than what should be considered normal, his spear taking a slice at her back. Larxene twisted in time for the spearhead to slide against her hip, leaving a tear in her shirt and a shallow cut on her skin. Larxene growled in irritation.

"That _hurt_, you little brat!" she hissed, her claws slicing up against Ven's spear again as he tried to guard himself. Ven jumped away quickly, Larxene's knives screeching against the metal. Lightning flashed around him, setting his teeth on edge as he backed away from the rain of electricity that pierced the air around him. Ven inhaled the tang of the morning, the crisp wintery-spring air tart with the clinging taste of lightning. The initial hisses and _zings_ of the fast electric light warned him ahead of time when she was releasing a blast of her stormy powers. He could easily tell when they were coming, but it was where that tricked him. When he thought one was coming from his side, it was coming from behind. He had to watch carefully and play his luck, or else he'd end up fried.

"That's good," Ven said distantly, switching is grip on the spear as his right hand became useable again. He felt a tingle seize the air around him and he hissed through his teeth, jumping up against a tree to avoid electrocution. He kicked off a second later, his spear slashing upward as he passed Larxene. He skidded his feet against the dead grass, pivoting as she sent a flurry of knives his way. He gasped as one of them buried itself in his leg, the pain surprisingly sharp compared to the other injuries he had sustained that morning. Ven felt himself falling forwards, his knees sinking to the ground. _Ow._

Larxene laughed shrilly. She popped her hip to the side and twirled a strangely elevated piece of blonde hair around her right index finger, while her other hand was suspended in the air in a strange fashion. "Got you!" she simpered, pulling her index finger down from her hair and brushing it down against her cheek. Her smile was as frightening as ever, still gleaming though shadowed, as the sun was facing Larxene's back. Ven winced, feeling his leg jolt with pain as the knife buried itself deeper in his leg. He moved to pull it out, but he felt the initial crackle of lightning spark around him. He froze, jumping to his feet to dive away. But his leg was already on fire, convulsing rapidly against the electricity driven into the knife.

Ven felt something rise in his throat and escape from his mouth in maximum volume. At first he didn't know what it was, because there was electricity flowing throughout his nerves, clogging his brain with sharp stabs of hot, startling pain. He then realized he was screaming at the top of his lungs, the sound of agony drowned by the buzzing around him. His teeth were clenched so tightly, Ventus felt they would soon crack under the pressure. He couldn't feel anything other than the pain that pulsed through him, and it was more frightening than anything he'd come across in… in quite a while. He unclenched his teeth to let out another scream, this one piercing the air like a knife.

* * *

Aqua paused as Lightning strode into the road, her pink hair whipping in the cool morning wind. She could see the man hunched over a rather limp figure from where she stood, and she could also see the blood. And boy, was there a lot. She could see the shine of it on the pavement, glistening madly in the sunlight. As Aqua slowed, Lightning just sped right up. She was closing into a run as Aqua tried to assess the situation. What if he was already dead? What if she couldn't help him? No, no, that would be awful, just beyond awful…

"Hope?" Lightning cried, her voice cracking as she dropped beside the boy. Aqua allowed herself to move forward as she listened to the woman's plea. "Hope? Hope, wake up. Wake up right now. I'm not kidding, I will _destroy_ you if you die, you hear me? Hope. _Hope_."

Aqua stepped forward, very close now to the injured boy. She looked around the deserted street quickly before kneeling down next to Lightning. Aqua could see the boy's side was drenched with blood. A good chunk of his waist was missing. His face was ashen, paler than the boy's silvery hair, given him the look of a corpse. Was he a corpse? Aqua could not be sure from just looking at him. And it seemed Lightning was afraid to touch him. So it was up to her to check.

She moved her arm forward, gently moving her hand under to boy's chin. Lightning didn't move for a moment, staring down at the pale boy as Aqua's fingers pressed up against his neck. She let out a tiny breath, leaning back so she wasn't too close to the boy's face. Lightning stared at Aqua, her eyes wavering between cold and desperate. Aqua tucked her hair behind her ears and pulled her hood down.

"He's alive," she said softly, and she noted how the woman's face changed. Her features visibly relaxed, and she slumped, her eyes trailing down to the injured boy.

"Fix him then," she whispered, her eyes closing as her hand found Hope's. Aqua noticed the woman's hands were stained red. She wondered how she hadn't seen this beforehand.

Aqua nodded slowly, nudging the man gently away from the boy. The man looked extremely distraught, his own hands drenched in fresher blood than Lightning's. They still gleamed with wetness. Aqua took a deep breath, place her hand over Hope's wound. She felt a rush of power flow around her and engulf Hope in a stunning greenish light. She felt him stir a little beneath her hand, but she was suddenly frozen in her place. There was something faint echoing in the skies. A voice.

Screams.

And they only got louder, building up as she stood up quickly, her eyes darting around the abandoned street. They weren't from very close by, she could tell that much. But still, she heard them getting clearer and clearer, becoming more heart stopping as the time went on. She pressed her hands against her chest, feeling her own heart begin to speed up, the ever loudening screams pulling her out of reality. Her mind was working fast, trying to determine where this noise was coming from as well as who it was coming from and why it was coming from that person and—

Aqua spun around. She couldn't place who was screaming, or where it was coming from. This was hopeless. How could she figure out what was happening when she was so far away? For all she knew it could be someone from the Light Region screaming, simply picking up on her magic and sending her a mental message of their anguish…

Or… it could simply be someone not too far away, but far enough.

Aqua jumped when Lightning tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, staring up at the woman with wide eyes. The woman simply frowned. "I'd like to thank you," she said in a low, gruff voice.

"It's no problem," Aqua said calmly, a small smile appearing on her lips. The screams continued to rattle inside her head. "Hope's alright then?"

"Alright as he can be." Lightning shrugged, jumping up onto the sidewalk and scooping a gun in her arms. "He says he wants to fight, but I'm not letting that happen."

"It's not advisable," Aqua murmured softly.

"But…" Lightning glanced back at the boy who was struggling to sit himself up. "If he were in better condition, I'd probably let him."

Aqua glanced up at her, feeling her stare become a little incredulous. The screams reached their highest pitch in her head, making her wince a little, before they ceased completely. She felt a little confused with the sudden silence, a dull ringing replacing the agonized screams. "I…" Aqua whispered. She was finding it a little hard to speak as well. She tugged on the string around her neck quietly, her eyes trailing up to the sky. "I… don't think that's a very wise decision."

Lightning looked down at her, raising an eyebrow. "Why not?" The woman folded her arms across her chest, smirking a little. "I know he can fight. He's not completely useless, and he'd be too afraid of letting me down to get seriously hurt. I'd let him prove himself if he were in working order."

Aqua's eyes widened. She stared at the woman, shocked that she would send the boy into battle after something like this. But then, she wasn't, was she? She was just saying that if he were better…

It was stupid, of course. What if he got hurt? What if he died? But then Aqua's train of though exited that area and focused on something else. She looked up at the woman, her eyebrows raised. "How do you two know there's a fight?" she asked cautiously.

Lightning scoffed, turning away from the blue haired maiden. "Please, like I can't sniff out a fight. This is going to be big. That's really obvious." She through a sharp glance at Aqua. "Don't underestimate those of us living in the town. We may not be close enough to risk our necks every moment of every day, but we can tell when danger's brewing. That's probably how the rebellion got started anyway."

Aqua looked down. She fiddled with the string around her neck again, feeling a little embarrassed. "Yes… I… I guess…"

"But you know something," Lightning observed, frowning a little. "I owe you a lot right now, but can I ask what it is?"

Aqua laughed a little and shook her head. "No, no." She waved her hand, standing up straight. "It's fine. I… don't know how big this thing is going to be, but it'd be a good idea to spread the word." She looked over at Hope, who was standing up and trying to steady himself against his father. "The Master is in the Light Region."

This made Lightning freeze. And Aqua knew suddenly that she wasn't going to be visiting her home region alone. Not when a younger sibling was involved.

* * *

Terra spun on his heal as the scythe came spiraling toward him. This guy was damn persistent, wasn't he? He couldn't stand still, and he was making things really complicated. They needed to get into the Light Region. Couldn't these guys just back off for a moment? Terra shook his head quickly, dragging his Keyblade up as the scythe rounded on him once more. The pink curving blade was caught inside one of Earth Shaker's grooves, making Terra smirk. Perfect. Terra jumped up, using his blade as support as he swung himself around, kicking the man square in the jaw.

He yelped, stumbling backwards. His scythe was still caught in Earth Shaker, however, so he didn't get far. Terra dislodged the scythe, striking the man while his Keyblade was still in the air. The man was sent flying backwards, and Terra felt a little satisfied. It seemed the man hadn't expected to be hit with so much weight. The upsides of having such a monstrous Keyblade like Earth Shaker. Terra glanced at Ven quickly as his opponent struggled to collect himself. The boy seemed to be doing alright, bouncing away from the blonde woman's relentless lightning attacks.

Terra stepped forward, unsurprised when the man rose to his feet and rushed an assault again. These people were persistent, that was for sure. They wouldn't give up with just a few blows. They seemed ready to fight the trio to the death. Terra hoped that wouldn't be the case. He watched as the scythe came spinning toward him, and Terra summoned a quick barrier. The scythe crashed into the invisible shield, and Terra slid backwards as the thing shattered around him, letting the pink scythe into his path.

"This is really pissing me off," Terra muttered as Roxas passed him. The boy was dodging blasts of water, and he looked even more annoyed than Terra felt.

"You're telling me," Roxas hissed, his eyes narrowing. "This guy keeps sending walls of water at me. How am I supposed to dodge that?"

Terra sighed and gave the boy a sympathetic look before he slid out of the way of another attack from the scythe. He could hear the crackle of lightning from behind him, telling him that Ven was still keeping it up. That was good. Though Terra figured he got the hardest pick. That woman seemed hell bent on killing Ven, and only Ven for some twisted reason.

What was so interesting about Ven, besides the fact he wasn't fighting with his Keyblade? If he still had one. That was very confusing to figure out.

Terra dodged another slice at his head, slamming his blade against the shaft of the scythe to stop it from coming close to his chest. Terra shook his head as the man jumped away, twirling his spear with an odd finesse. Terra dodged again as the scythe came swinging his way. This was getting tiring and redundant. The spear was fast, and it was definitely hard to dodge at times…

Terra froze, and listened as a scream tore through the morning air. He looked slowly to the side, his eyes catching Ven's writhing body as lightning was forced through him. Terra felt his stomach churn as he watched the boy's face, contorted with pain and twitching as the rest of his body convulsed. Terra turned slowly, feeling the urge to tear off the blonde woman's face. But there was still the matter of the man with the scythe to deal with.

Terra cried out. The scythe had caught onto his arm while he had been distracted, and now he felt like something was trying to saw off his arm.

Oh wait.

* * *

_Hey, guys, I edited the begining of this. I don't have time to do the rest. I don't even have the name of the next chapter for you because it's unfinished at the moment. However, I wanted to update this today for two reasons._

_1, It's the one year anniversary of this fic, if I'm correct._

_2, Tomorrow is my first day of high school. So if updates get slow, I would really like to apologize. This fix will be finished, however, even if I simply CANNOT GET TO THE EFFING POINT._

_Alright, that's all I can say. Wish me luck with high school, hopefully I'll do good and stuff._

_Toodles,_

_Dani._


	73. Progression

**White Knight: Seventy Three :Progression**

Terra tried to tug his arm downward to release the scythe from his flesh. It would be awful to have his arm sliced off. It would be even more awful his he didn't get the damn blade out of him quickly, because it _hurt like hell_, and he was ready to tank his way through the son of a bitch keeping him from running to Ventus's aid. Terra twisted himself, eagerly trying to dislodge the scythe. The blade was pulled slightly away from his wound, giving him a small bit of relief and a good deal of pain.

Finally Terra tugged his arm free of the scythe's blade, stumbling back and clutching his freely bleeding arm after he did so. The man looked unnervingly calm as he lifted his weapon back, ready to slash at Terra once more. The older boy found himself wondering what exactly these guards were here to do. Why did Xehanort not want anyone outside today? No one would really dare go to the Light Region, at least none of the normal citizens. Even the Rebellion would think twice before trying to get over the walls, no matter how many times they've done it before.

Terra slid back as the pink haired man swung his scythe toward him. This entire fight was incredibly bothersome. "Who are you?" Terra growled, raising a shield as the man brought his scythe down on him. The pink metal crashed against the magical barrier, the blade screeching as it brushed the thick octagon shaped defense.

The man tilted his head and lifted his scythe again. "Who am I?" the man asked, stepping forward as Terra's shield died. "Is that really important information at this particular moment?"

"Yes!" Terra cried, jumping back and raising his Keyblade as the man swung his scythe forward once again. "I'd like to know who exactly I'm fighting so I can get the name right on the headstone."

The man simply rose a slim pink eyebrow and smirked. "Well that's rather cocky of you. Do you actually believe you can kill me?"

Terra's eyes narrowed. "Tch," he hissed through his teeth, raising his head high. "I'd rather not, to be honest, but you're proving to be more trouble than you're worth."

"Am I?" The man chuckled and twirled his scythe around. "And you are proving to be an… interesting opponent, young Keyblade Master." The man lifted his scythe, however he did not move it.

Terra's eyes widened. Something was attached to his ankle. Terra looked down, raising his Keyblade. But the thorny vine was already winding itself up his leg, pulling Terra off his feet. Terra cried out, a small moment where his feet were off the ground and he was suddenly falling forward, his stomach lurching all the way until his chin slammed against the winter hardened earth. His breath was knocked out of him for a moment, and his Keyblade clattered to the ground next to him. The thorns adorning the vine that had attacked him dug though the fabric of his pant leg and prodded his skin. Terra twisted uncomfortably as her felt another vine creep up his other leg. Where the hell were these things coming from?

"Are you going to be engraving my headstone from down there?" the man asked, amusement extremely evident in his voice.

Terra growled and pulled himself to his knees. This proved to be a painful task, as the torns sunk into his skin once he put weight on his legs. He reached for his Keyblade, but another vine snapped up from the ground, coiling around his hand and tugging. Terra was slammed back against the ground, this time with thorns completely imbedded in the skin of his right hand and arm. Terra's eyes widened as he realized the extremity of his situation.

"You little shit," Terra growled, the vine tightening around his arm. The prickers burrowed deep into his skin, making Terra hiss. This would be around the time when magic would come in handy. However, Terra was sucky at magic.

The facts that he was slow and horrible at magic made Terra realize how weak a link he was in these fights. He would have been best off fighting the water boy. The woman obviously required a speedy person to fight them, and Terra would not stand much of a chance unless he slid, and slid _fast and rapidly_. The man he was fighting now didn't require that much speed to fight, but since he was apparently talented in earth magic, Terra could use an equally powerful magic attack right about now.

Terra heard a gently _swoosh_, and the pain in his legs lessened considerably, as if the weight on the vines had been lifted. Terra watched a blur of black sweep over the vine holding his right arm at bay, and immediately after Terra felt mobile again. He spring to his feet, scooping his blade up in the process, and tugged the dead vines from his appendages. He swung his Keyblade upward as another one attempted to incapacitate him. He slashed clean through it, of course.

"Demyx, you useless—" the man growled, lifting his scythe as Roxas lept toward him, blade extended. Terra watched, a little awed as the man brought his scythe down, only to have Roxas jump on the blade and blance himself there for a few moments before sliding down the scythe's shaft. The man shook his scythe, making the boy loose a bit of his balance, however Roxas was already closing in on the man. Roxas made a leap and his left arm extending outwards.

And Terra realized something as his gaze fell on the Keyblade in the boy's right hand.

It was not the one Roxas had used yesterday.

* * *

"Let's get to Seventh Heaven," Lightning said, spinning on her heel and stalking toward Hope. She grabbed him by his hood and dragged him forward, her gaze suddenly hard. Aqua jumped, shocked by the woman's sudden determination, and she ran quickly to catch up with her. She gave Hope's father a quick glance before continuing down the road. The man stood in place, his eyes downcast.

"What's Seventh Heaven?" Aqua asked, finally stepping in time with the older woman's foot falls. Lightning's eyebrows furrowed, and she looked down at the girl.

"You aren't part of the Rebellion, are you?" When Aqua shook her head, Lightning sighed in exasperation. "It's a bar that Tifa owns. Do you know Tifa, at least?"

"Uh…" Aqua glanced down at her blue tinted skirt, awkwardly fiddling with the hem. "Should I?"

Lightning frowned deeply. "Nevermind," the woman said, looking forward again. "It doesn't matter right now."

"Wait, Light," Hope coughed, clutching his side as the woman continued to pull him. "Light, what about my dad?"

"He won't betray us," Lighting said calmly. "He's not that much of an idiot."

"But, Light…"

"But what?" Lightning asked, her gaze snapping down to Hope. "Do you forgive him? Even if you do, he can't come with us. That's way too much of a risk."

Hope slumped against her and his head drooped considerably. "I…" he murmured. "I know. I'm sorry. It's just that… what if another guard finds him, and…"

"He'll be fine."

Hope's head snapped up, and he stared at her with wide green eyes. "But, Light!"

"He'll be fine."

"Lightning," Aqua said with a bit of an edge to her tone as she force the woman to a stop. "If Hope wants to make sure his father is okay, you can't stop him. You realize that, right?"

Lightning stared down at Aqua, her eyes widening a bit. Slowly, she turned, and sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair and nodded. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking down at Hope. "I just don't trust him. But I can't leave you here with him, and I can't take him with us. So we need to leave him behind."

Hope's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He said nothing, however, and Lightning took this as a sign to move forward again. The abandoned streets of the Dark Region town were lit up by the sunlight, giving the usually dreary place a mellow feeling. The yellow drenched buildings gave Aqua goosebumps while looking at them. How could something so pretty appear out of all the awful stuff that was happening around here? It was unbelievable. But then, nature was unbelievable itself. It had always been the best part of the Dark Region. Hadn't it always captivated her how the trees in the forest grew so lush and beautiful, even though everything around them lacked their innate beauty.

Aqua stuck close to Lightning, throwing glances over her shoulder at the poor man left behind every few moments. She didn't want Hope's father to be left by his lonesome, but she had to assume Lightning had a good reason for doing so. Or else she didn't know how to react to taking a man's injured child away from him. Trustworthy or not, Aqua just couldn't find the justice in that.

But soon the man was out of sight, as Lightning had turned a corner. Hope was still hobbling along, clutching his incompletely healed side. Aqua wished she could've completely healed him, but it would've been too much. She needed all of her magic if she was going to cross the wall. Which she was, and it would be quickly. She would be over there just as soon as she sorted things out with Hope and Lightning. And then she'd find Vanitas and end all of the nonsense that had enveloped her life for weeks once and for all.

It was soon enough that they stopped in front of a small building, though, of course, it was rather large compared to those around it. The sign above the entrance was a simple wooden plank hung from a pair of barbs sticking out from the structure. In long, loopy green letters it read, _Seventh Heaven._ Aqua found this a bit odd. It was a strange name for a bar, and one in the Dark Region, no less. But still, Aqua was intrigued.

"Hey, Lightning!" A booming voice called over the extreme silence, making Aqua cringe visibly at the sudden noise. She spun around, as did Lightning, while Hope simply stayed put where he was. A man was striding across the street, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Aqua's eyes widened as he approached. The man was… well, huge, simply putting it. He was taller than anyone Aqua had ever met, towering high over her and Lightning. Lightning, who was fairly tall for a female! And then there was Hope, who was about half the size of the giant man!

Lightning glared up at the man as he flung an arm around her shoulders. "So, you came over here too, huh? You've really become one of us, haven't you?"

Lightning's eyes narrowed and she shrugged the man off her. She stepped forward, gently grasping Hope's arm and starting forward. "Where else could I have possibly gone?" she asked the man coolly, before heading through the bar's door. Aqua watched the giant man as he continued to smile, though his expression was slightly dampened by Lightning's foul mood. He glanced down at her and tilted his head.

"Did Light drag you here?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Aqua blinked slowly, slightly baffled. "Lightning?" she murmured. "No, I came to heal Hope. I… honestly don't know why I'm still here. I should go." Aqua turned around quickly.

"Whoa!" The man grabbed her arm, making her freeze in her tracks. A small trickle of fear crept into her stomach, stirring up caution in the back of her mind. Aqua stared forward, her eyes locked on the route she knew she could take to get to the wall. "Hey, you should come inside. If you're a healer, we might need you. God knows Aerith has enough trouble on her own."

Aqua paused, her plan of escape fluttering out of her mind. She turned back to face the giant man slowly, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Aerith's here?" she asked, her eyebrows raising.

"Yeah!" The man grinned, letting go of her arm. "You know Aerith?"

Aqua nodded quickly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears. She knew she needed to get over the wall, but… she had to wonder. And also, who knew what was going on over in the Light Region. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to have a few people backing her up. "Is there any reason why you need a healer?" Aqua asked blankly, her voice reflecting her distracted mind.

The giant man sighed and leaned back. "Yeah," he said slowly, frowning a bit. "Some of the guards are going a little nuts. No one's been hurt so far, as far as I can tell, but you never know. It would be good to have someone at hand."

Aqua nodded again. "That makes sense," she said, turning and heading toward the door. Terra and Ven could handle themselves, right? She'd only be a small while.

* * *

A flash of brilliant white light erupted from Roxas's left hand, another gleaming key materializing with such grace, it could put a swan to shame. The light was bursting from all angles, bending up and over, and curling around itself. Ribbons of the radiant light moved along the sharpening edges, pulsating as it tangled around Roxas's hand. The glowing Keyblade was utterly resplendent in the white glare of dawn, glittering and gleaming until it solidified and was flung downward in a curving slash. The man with the scythe screamed as he stumbled backward, trying to get hold of his weapon properly. Roxas was too fast, however, and the boy had already driven his glinting black blade into the side of the man's head. It was the blunt side, of course, so the damage was minimal.

Pushing off the man's abdomen the boy jumped back, landing easily next to Terra. The older man stared down at him, his eyes flickering to the incandescent blade in his left hand. "I didn't think you could go down that easily," Roxas observed, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I usually don't," Terra said quietly, gripping his own Keyblade tighter. "Thank you, though."

"Not a problem." Roxas smiled backtracking. "Just avoid the vines and you should be fine, I think."

Terra extending his arm, leaning forward calmly. "Don't worry," he hissed. "I won't fall again. Just take care of that damn lightning woman."

Roxas laughed a little and spun around, leaning forward as well, his two keys clashing against each other as he brought them up into an _X. _"Don't worry," he said in a strangely bright and cheery voice, "I will!" And with that he let his blade fling black, gliding against the dead grass as he swept forward with the speed and grace of a falcon.

Terra took a deep breath and started forward, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his blade. His arm was aching a little, but Terra was sure to ignore it. He needed to finish this. The man was straightening up, his eyes flashing with anger. Terra jumped over the vines that leapt up from the ground, his eyes glued on the man's face. He wouldn't kill him. No, he wasn't going to kill the man. There was at least an alternative to death with him. A simple knock out would suffice.

Terra brought up his Keyblade and slammed it into the man's side, watching as the force drove him backwards, nearly off his feet. His scythe was a few feet away, just out of arm's reach. Terra dodged another strike from the satanic vines, slashing through one of them to keep it away from tangling around his waist. He ran once again and gathered up his strength, picking up as much speed as he could and releasing it. He slid forward with the force of a bull, knocking the man off completely to the ground, Terra exhaled sharply, spinning around to look at the man. He was rather bloodied up, his shoulder a mess of torn up shirt and oozing red, and his face bruising slightly, cut up at his temple and jaw.

He was trying to get up, though he was having a little bit of trouble. Terra smirked to himself. He could still pack a good punch. That was nice to know. He walked forward, slashing through another vine to get to the odd man. His pink hair was tussled around his head, giving him the appearance of a wind swept rose. His teeth were bared in annoyance, and he glared up at Terra when he appeared in front of him.

"Ready to give up?" Terra asked, raising an eyebrow.

The man continued to bare his teeth. Terra's eyes narrowed. He raised his Keyblade, ready to strike the man unconscious. The man sprung to his feet, skidding out of the way just in time for Terra's blade to slam into the grass. _Damn, _Terra thought, jumping back quickly as another vine swung his way. _Was the bastard faking?_

The man had grabbed his scythe again, his gaze flashing toward Terra. A wide smirk appeared on the man's lips, despite his obvious injuries. Terra took another deep breath. This was it. He wasn't going to get hit again, and next time he got close to the man he would take him down. The man was already approaching, faster than one might expect an injured person to. Terra leapt up as the scythe swept the ground where his legs should've been, and he swung up missing the man's nose by a centimeter. Terra growled under his breath. The man spun his scythe around, dragging it upward in a smooth arc. Terra slid around the man, his eyes locked on the back of his neck. If Terra could just land one last hit…

The man spun around and Terra rose his blade, watching as the metal clashed against each other. Terra threw a glance at Roxas. He was fairing pretty well against the blonde woman, dancing around her with his Keyblades slashing away, trying to land a hit through the woman's knives. Ven was laying on his back a few feet away from the battle, now quiet, and twitching every few moments. Terra looked back at the man, and he twisted his Keyblade gently so the scythe's blade was caught in Earth Shaker's crevice again. The man looked very irritated at this.

Terra took a step back as the man began to struggle to release his scythe, and he winked as the man glanced up at him. He was sick of this. He jumped back, pulling his blade away from the scythe, and he raised it high. He felt a build of power pulse along his arms until it was released, spouting out of his Keyblade in cannon-like blasts. A volley of darkness shot from the blade's tip, hitting the man with full impact. He stumbled as Terra continued to shoot the darkness stained fire, waiting for the man to go down.

And he did. After a few more rounds of darkness bullets. Once he was down Terra wasted no time in running forward, ignoring the vines that tried to snatch him, and he smacked the man over the head. He fell immediately, slumping on the ground. Terra sighed, relieved that one pain in the ass was dealt with. The other, however…

Well, Roxas was still trying to deal with her.

* * *

"We have knowledge to suggest Master Xehanort is in the Light Region right now."

The entire bar went silent at these words. There had been a bit of a shouting match going on, theories thrown about discerning what was happening outside, aloud thoughts about missing citizens, talk of the loud bang that had happened nearly an hour earlier. All eyes were now on Lightning, who had spoken loudly and clearly over the mass of troubled voices. Everyone was staring at her, their eyes so large and shocked that Aqua felt a little uncomfortable being the only one unsurprised. Hope was propped up in a booth in the corner, getting properly patched up by the now frozen Aerith, whose hand was hovering over the boy's not quite healed wound.

"Are you serious?" someone managed to choke out, a strangely underdressed blonde girl who had been sitting on the bar. "You can't be serious. Come on, he can't really be that dumb. He'd be squashed if he went into the Light Region."

"He found a way in," Lightning said, her voice dark. "Who knows how, or if he's done it before, but if some of the guard can weasel in, he can."

"He's done it before," Aqua said quietly.

Eyes shifted to her, at least eyes with good ears. They watched her, fear sparking up in their depths. Lightning looked down at Aqua sharply. "What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

Aqua straightened as more eyes flashed to her. She felt her face redden a little, and she tucked her hair behind her ears, silently wishing she hadn't opened her mouth. "The Master has gone into the Light Region before. When I was younger—" She paused, feeling all eyes completely on her. Had she said too much? She swallowed and leaned back against her chair. Of course she had. No one here knew she was from the Light Region. That she had been the nearly adoptive daughter of the Light Region Master. No one had an inkling of how important she was. But now they did.

"What do you mean, when you were younger?" one of the younger children, a boy with sandy blond hair, asked innocently. "Are you from the Light Region?"

"Yes, are you?" Lightning's tone was not angry. It was more like cold curiosity, settling in the back of her throat and making her voice rumble.

Aqua stared straight ahead, her own eyes falling on the young boy who had spoken to her. "I am," she said, her voice more definite speaking to a child than it would be if she had been staring at Lightning. The room was now filled with curious and confused eyes that fell on her face with great awe, as if she were something new and dazzling in a shabby old place. Aqua took in a long breath, letting the musty whiskey and smoke scent of the bar calm her a little. The place was definitely nice. Not as seedy as she would've thought. She'd have to come here more often, if Vanitas didn't get in her way like he always did when she was trying to do something mildly calming.

That was, if Vanitas would even bother her after today. She wasn't quite sure yet, and this bothered her. She found herself fiddling with the string around her neck, her eyes drifting from the young boy to the window, where light streamed in from dirt streaked glass. He had thanked her the previous night. She didn't know what for, or why, but she felt extremely uncomfortable with it. For _everything_, he had said. As if she'd done a great deal for his well being. She'd hated him this whole time, wishing he'd drop himself into the ocean and drown himself, or seal himself in an iron maiden. She shook the last thought from her head, the thought of the boy locked up in the spike filled box, slowly losing the will to stand and slipping until some part of his body got caught in the field of needles struck an unlucky limb. No one deserved that fate.

She withdrew from her thoughts as questions were rattled off by many of the members of this little group. Why she was in the Dark Region, if she was telling the truth, what had happened to make he leave her home, how old she had been when she had left. Etcetera. Aqua leaned back, startled by the interest. She didn't like the attention she was drawing to herself, and she would rather get all of this over with so she could get to the Light Region. She trusted Ven, Terra, and Roxas to get there and keep things under control, but she needed to go and see for herself what was happening.

"Everyone quiet," Lightning barked. Aqua glanced up at the woman. She was staring at Aqua with a hard expression, one difficult to decipher. Aqua couldn't tell if she was irritated or confused or shocked. She simply looked cold and unfeeling, like a marble statue whose face was set into an eternal scowl. "Can you explain, please?"

"Explain?" Aqua asked, her eyebrows furrowing. "Explain what, exactly? Why I'm here?"

"That would be extremely helpful."

Aqua rolled her shoulders back and sighed. She didn't understand why this mattered. Surely some of these people had not been born in the Dark Region. It wasn't logical that she was the only one from the Light Region, right? "I was Master Eraqus's foster daughter. He took me in when I was a toddler and raised me until I was kidnapped by Master Xehanort and made to believe I was Dark Region born and raised. Then he sent me to the Light Region to kill my younger sister, probably knowing well that I'd figure out who I was." Aqua paused, glancing around the room. All eyes were still on her, some mouths agape. Was this surprising? She couldn't tell anymore. If she had heard this story a few months previous, she'd think it was ludicrous. As she spotted a few skeptical faces, she continued.

"Master Xehanort sent people after he kidnapped me. He went after my sister when she was young, and friends of my sister who were also taken in by Master Eraqus. He experimented on them and managed to create whole humans out of whatever concoction he brewed up. I don't know all the details, and I honestly don't want to. But Master Xehanort can get into the Light Region, and he can be very efficient when doing so. After all, he managed to sweep four children away from my master right under his nose. Not to mention what I can only assume happened to Ven's family, whom was not under an specific guard." Aqua paused again, realizing she was speaking far too much. She looked down, flustered. "That's it."

The entire bar was silent, mouths parted in questions they wanted to ask, but couldn't seem to. Aqua straightened up in her seat, hoping she appeared less awkward than she felt. Soon someone spoke, a woman with long dark hair. Her eyes were angled sharply, as if she spent most of her time staring at people through half lidded eyes. She was smiling, something Aqua found strange.

"Is that the truth, then?" the woman asked, her voice thick with a loose, dry accent. "You're the daughter of the Light Region Master? Kidnapped by Master Xehanort himself, and for what, exactly? To make dear old papa pained?" The woman's lips cocked up, and she brought a shot glass filled with a translucent liquid that looked a little too thick to be water to her mouth. "Sounds useless. If he really wanted to cause some pain, he'd have killed you."

"He didn't have to," Aqua remarked sharply, feeling a jolt of anger run through her as the woman tipped the glass back, the clear liquid sliding out of it. "He killed Master Eraqus's son before he kidnapped me. If I'm right in my theory about Xehanort, he hates doing things the same way. He killed Cordis, then kidnapped me and decided to keep me and raise me away from the people who cared for me, then kidnapped Kairi and experimented on her, then sent her back to Master Eraqus half sane, then kidnapped Ven and left him frozen in a pit in the forest, then kidnapped Sora and experimented on him… and then sending him back." Aqua frowned. "I'm not sure why he didn't do something differently with him."

She found herself struck with how easily she was speaking about this in front of strangers, and she slowly slunk back against her chair. This was all insane. She didn't need to prove herself, so she knew she should shut up. But it was difficult. Once she got started, it was hard to stop. She noticed how everyone seemed to appear even more shocked by this new information, and she sighed inwardly. She jumped to her feet as murmurs spread around the tiny bar.

"I don't expect any of you to believe this," Aqua said, her voice clear across the crowd. "It's the truth, even if it sounds ridiculous. I thought all of you might want to know, since clearly you all have some affiliation with the Light Region." Aqua spun on her heel, feeling the awkward loneliness spread throughout her body. She was out of place here.

"Wait a minute, Aqua," Lightning barked. Aqua froze a few feet away from the door. She looked over her shoulder and tilted her head up.

"Yes?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

Lightning turned around, facing the members of the rebellion with a fierceness in her gaze that could make grown men tremble. "Listen up!" Lightning shouted, her voice course and cold. "I understand some of you have qualms about believing this woman. However, look at the facts. Why are you here, exactly, if you do not believe that something is wrong?"

Aqua turned around and folded her arms across her chest. She looked over the crowd of people and found them all watching Lightning with the same slightly shocked, slightly guilty gaze. Aqua smiled a little. Maybe she could get these people on her side after all.

* * *

Roxas listened as the air crackled around him, the cool morning heating up rapidly as the lightning came closer and closer to him. The woman was incredibly fast, and she was able to weave around Roxas's attacks with great ease. She twirled her knives around her fingers, flashing her teeth at him as he spun around a bolt of lightning cascading from the clear heavens. Roxas exhaled, the acrid taste of sparks and lightning making his senses burn. His eyes watered when he got to close to the lightning, and his skin prickled with discomfort, and his tongue got heavy in his mouth, and his nostrils stung from the sharp smell of electricity.

"Two Keyblades?" the woman sung, her green eyes gleaming in the flashing crackles of lightning spiraling around her. "That's something new. Guess your twice as special since little brother's mister ordinary, huh?"

A growl rumbled at the back of Roxas's throat. He drew his right arm back and rolled forward, narrowly missing a pillar of lightning . The dead grass around them was beginning to smoke, small flames erupting where the mightiest of lightning had struck. Roxas moved his arm up in a quick flicking motion, springing to his feet behind the woman. She jumped back, though her shirt tore a bit more at her side, a bit of blood splashing onto the boy's face when he had brought himself on her legs.

"You really know how to make a lady angry," the woman hissed, pulling her hand over her side. Roxas took a deep breath as something brushed against his arm, leaving a sharp stinging behind. He blinked slowly as his arm began to ache, and he realized the woman had thrown one of her strange knives at him while moving her hand.

"Why Ven?" Roxas asked, moving his left foot slowly to get himself in a steadier stance. "Why did you want to fight him? Because he didn't have a Keyblade?"

The woman's lips drew upward into a careful smirk and her chin jerked upward. "Ooh, does it bother big brother that I picked a favorite? Tsk, tsk!" She laughed, her voice sharp and broken up, as if she were putting particular emphasis on every sound that left her mouth.

"Cut that out!" Roxas cried, drawing up his Keyblades. The woman cocked her head to the side, the strange pieces of hair at the stop of her head bounces with the movement.

"Is it too much?" she asked, her shrill voice piercing his eardrums. She rose her hands, yellow and green knives glistening in the sunlight. "Does it bother you that I know _all_ about sweet little Ventus? I bet it does!" She leaned forward, her angular face glowing with enthusiasm as she gazed down at boy.

Roxas jumped back as she moved forward, her knives inching toward his chest. She missed him by a few centimeters, and Roxas felt himself skidding to a stop and spinning. He lifted his Keyblades up and brought them down hard on top of the woman, sliding the darker one against her collar bone. He ignored the pain in his side and arm, slashed down and jumping back, watching as blood sprung into the air. The woman screeched, clutching her throat and glaring down at the boy. He hadn't pushed down hard enough the make the wound more than a scratch, but he knew he should have. He winced, the sharp ache of metal imbedded in his side making him realize how this fight was playing for the woman.

She wanted to kill. The crazy bitch was out to kill.

Roxas jumped back as the woman sprung toward him, her eyes alight with a maniacal delight. Her teeth were bared in a growing grin, gleaming in the sunlight as if they had been polished until pure white. Roxas felt a tingle disturb the air around him, and a soft hiss filled his ears. He flung himself to the side as lightning crackled, the vertical crack of burning light sending his heart pounding against his ribs. Lightning was a frightening thing, it seemed. Roxas felt bad that his brother had to endure getting struck by it the most.

"What are you _talking _about?" Roxas gasped, pulling back as the woman moved toward him. Sweat plastered his neck and forehead, the salty taste of perspiration gripping his tongue as he ran it over his dry lips. He wanted to save Ven. He needed to save Ven. This obstacle was so unnecessary, it made his blood boil. They could be in the Light Region by now! But no, they had to get even more exhausted and fight the damn guards.

The woman laughed shrilly again. She waved her arm up, a flurry of knives shooting toward Roxas at a great speed. Roxas slashed his left blade up, and his right blade down, striking three of the knives. The last two zoomed past him. Roxas let himself breathe for a moment, his shoulders tensing up as he felt the air begin to sizzle and grow acidic. He watched the woman, his eyes narrowing. No more time was going to be wasted fighting this bitch.

He waited for a moment longer before springing. His Keyblades were lifted off the ground and then promptly swung at the woman's back. She moved away, her feet moving gracefully as if she were doing a slow, gentle dance. However, Roxas had caught her, and he knew it. One of his blades caught her upper back, slashing deep into her skin. Her screech came and went. She turned one him, sending a jolt of power pulsing from her finger tips. Roxas sent himself flying onto his back, narrowly avoiding the currents of electricity.

"You're so _stupid_!" the woman shrieked, her voice still oozing amusement, despite having just been struck. She extended a finger at him, her grin wider than ever before. "Think, stupid boy! How could I possible know little brother's name?"

Roxas's gaze flickered toward Ven, who was still in a spasm on the ground. His screaming had ceased, however. Roxas looked back at Larxene and frowned. He looked her up and down, much to her amusement, before his frown deepened. "Well now it's obvious. You're our long lost cousin," he said, deadpanned.

Larxene's eyebrows raised, and her teeth pulled back into a smile so wide, her gums were visible for Roxas to see. Her laugh was sharp, and a razor blade like essence to it that made Roxas shudder. "Oh, you _slay_ me!" she cried, green eyes shimmering with glee, "but not quite."

Roxas leaned back on his heels, clacking his Keyblades together. A sharp ringing of metal against metal became a rhythm for his thoughts to follow on. Roxas glanced to the side before quickly placing his gaze back on the woman's face. She was watching him intently, her exuberant expression especially eerie when Roxas acknowledged the lasting presence of knives in her hands.

"I honestly don't give a shit," Roxas said truthfully, a wide grin spreading onto his face. "But thanks for standing still for so long. Your stupidity is much appreciated."

The woman's smile fell. Her face became suddenly very sharp, and frightening, the snake like quality of it enriched by her sudden coldness. She tensed up suddenly, and spun around, arm raised to dispense her knives. However, she was struck too quickly. She crumpled in a heap onto the dead grass, her viper-like face locked in an angry expression.

Roxas let out a long sigh of relief, letting his Keyblades disappear so he could pull the knife from his gut. Terra dropped his own weapon, spinning around quickly and running to Ventus's side. Roxas cupped his wound in his hand, staggering forward to reach his brother, and his older friend. Blood pooled up and around his fingers, slipping through the cracks and making his skin sticky. He dropped to his brother's side, coughing a bit as he nudged Terra.

"Is he okay?" Roxas asked, wiping his mouth. Blood smeared across his lips, and Roxas scowled at the metallic taste.

Terra shrugged, his eyes wide as he stared down at the writhing boy. "I'm not a doctor, but usually electrocution makes people pretty not okay."

"Well," Roxas coughed again, his mind racing. "Well, yeah."

Terra swallowed heavily, placing his hands on the boy's chest. "I'm not really a magic kind of person," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut.

"That doesn't matter." Roxas shook his head. "Just as long as you know how to heal a little bit. I can heal the rest."

Terra shook his head, snapping his eyes open. He leaned back, and Roxas let out a noise of protest before Terra shushed him. "These bastards are going to wake up quickly," Terra said gruffly, pulling Ven up and tossing him over his shoulder. He winced at how easy it had been to do so. "Let's get the hell out of the Dark Region while we still have a chance."

Roxas stared up at the man, his hands pressing harder against the wound in his side. A jolt ran up his spine, and more blood gushed into the boy's palm, warm and viscid. He nodded quickly, bending forward and scooping up Ven's spear. The cool metal slid against his wet hands, and red smeared across the already marred purple surface.

He looked up at Terra, who was already moving toward the wall. Roxas looked back at the mansion, which was not as distant as one would hope. Roxas's eyes narrowed, and he turned sharply, following Terra to the hole.

* * *

_Lol, babes, I ain't editing this._

_HI. I'M BACK._

_HOPEFULLY._

_It's been like a month. Let's go through what has happened. School, crap, new friends, same friends, World Cultures test on Monday that I am not feeling too great about, Hope getting older and wow, yeah, that actually happened, Snow got an effing mullet, Neku is going to be in KH..._

_Whoa, wait, let's back up. WHAT?_

_I'm excited of course, but I'm confused about how they'll fit him into this. To play the Reaper's Game you have to be dead. How the hell is Sora gonna play it with Neku? _

_Um, so, ignore the mistakes and what not, because I'm not fixing them. It's like, five AM._

_... Yeah, I better go._

_Next Chapter: Free Fall_

* * *

"Come on!" Ven groaned, digging his fingernails into Roxas's skin. "Just let me go! I'll be fine!"


	74. Free Fall

**White Knight: Seventy Four :Free Fall**

Roxas stood, his back to the Dark Region wall, his eyes on his younger brother. Terra had laid the boy on the ground, and was now trying very hard to try and fix him. But he seemed to be fumbling with trying to conjure the magic necessary to do so. Roxas sighed, pressing his hand harder against the wound in his side. He knew healing himself before Ven was healed was an awful idea, but healing Ven would zap all his power up, meaning Roxas would be in too bad a shape to fight.

This was tricky.

Roxas hobbled forward, bending down on one knee, flinching as a shudder of pain pulsed up his chest. He let go of his side and placed his hands over his convulsing brother, squeezing his eyes shut. He felt himself pull at his own energy, weaving it into a lush cloak of power, rich with a soothing nature. This power seeped from his hands, escaping like mist and enveloping around Ven, stilling his body. Roxas felt his cloak of power curl around the boy, pulling at the threads of hurting all around his body and healing them.

Roxas fell back, exhaustion dropping on top of his body like a ton of weights. His muscles felt suddenly stiff and rigid, and his wound began to throb painfully, running shock up Roxas's spine. The boy coughed a little, wondering if the wound really wasn't fatal. It was just his side, right? It wasn't too close to his stomach, right? Roxas took a few deep breaths, his heart drumming against his ribcage like it was trying to break free.

"Roxas!" Terra called, jumping to his feet. "Shit! What happened?"

Roxas coughed again, raising his hand shaking to press against his wound. He shook his head very slowly, though it was more like a simple twitch of his neck than anything else. "Nothing," Roxas muttered, moving his other arm slowly in hopes that he'd be able to pull himself up. "Just healed him."

"Well obviously it sucked the life out of you!" Terra sounded angry, but Roxas felt no shame. He recognized the tone from the years under Eraqus. It was not anger Roxas was hearing, but frantic worry. Not uncalled for, either. Roxas knew that he looked bad, what with the gut wound and not being able to get up. That was enough for anyone to worry.

"Yeah," Roxas agreed, closing his eyes. "Yeah, it did. Is Ven okay?"

Terra paused, half bent over Roxas. Roxas smiled a little. It was weird. He felt like he knew Terra, even though they were barely acquaintances. Roxas opened his eyes, the bright blue of them meeting the gentle white-blue early morning sky. Roxas had grown fond of the Dark Region's people. Terra, and Aqua, and Naminé, and Hope, and Lightning. They were nice people. He enjoyed their company in the small little world they all lived in.

Because what exactly was past the two parallel walls that separated the Light and Dark Regions? Surely there were other places, other Regions hiding from the war that engulfed the people of the Light and Dark. Those who were neutral, silently watching and waiting for a Region to fall to its knees. Because there had to be something else in the world. There had to be.

It was then Roxas decided that he wanted to see it. He wanted to explore the world beyond those ruled by Light and Dark, and seek knowledge foreign to him. He wanted to taste the air of lands unknown, and gaze upon landscapes that baffled the mind. He smiled wider. Once this was all over… because he knew it would end…

Roxas would see the entire world. The thought sent a thrill through him, and he grinned suddenly. The entire world! No rules or rulers, or sick experiments done for warfare, or children created as weaponry. It seemed strange now to think of the world without these things, but how wonderful it would all be…

Roxas took a deep breath, the wound in his side suddenly as painful as a splinter in his thumb. He could deal with it. He could move on for the sake of the future he had just imagined. He'd do it. He'd do it one day soon.

"Rox?"

Roxas tilted his head as the sun was shielded from his view. His grin widened. "Ven," Roxas said, his voice hoarser than he expected. "You okay? You always get hit with the nasty stuff, huh?"

The boy laughed a little, and licked his lips. "Lightning must really love me," the boy chuckled, running his hand through his still spiky hair. Roxas rose his eyebrows, his chest trembling from the onslaught of laughs that bombarded his form. Ven was taken aback for a moment, before he soon understood the joke, and he began to laugh along.

"I didn't mean _Lightning_, stupid!" Ven cried, his giggles racking his form. "I meant the magic lightning!"

"Well, obviously!" Roxas wheezed, his own laughed sending sharp jabs throughout his body. "Like Lightning would ever like a crazy little bastard like you!"

Ven's expression mocked hurt, though his laughs continued on. "I'm not crazy!" Ven gasped, shaking his head. "I'm a servant!"

"That's a lousy excuse," Roxas coughed, his laughs dying down. "Help me up. We've gotta get to the Light Region and save Sora and Kairi and Naminé and Riku—" Roxas paused as Ven's laughing ceased, and the boy pulled his brother up into a painful sitting position. Roxas looked up at Terra, who was leaning toward them, an amused expression playing about his face. The amused expression fell at the mention of Riku. "Terra, what happened to him? Where is he?"

Terra shook his head, his brown hair shaking around his ears. "I have no clue," Terra said, grabbing Roxas's arm and slinging it over his shoulder. "He was acting too weird last night. I didn't want to risk anything by pulling him into this."

"But what if he's not alright!" Roxas shook his head. "Look, you're his cousin! You need to help him!"

"I _know_ that." Terra's voice held something that resembled real anger now. "But this has to come first! The Light Region comes first, and knowing Riku, he's probably already there."

Ven steadied his brother and stared over at Terra. He looked completely fine for someone who had just been nearly fried to a crisp by lightning. His face was bright as usual, though he looked a bit troubled. Not surprising, but it was odd for Ventus.

"But, Terra, what if Riku's not there?" Ven whispered, glancing at the older boy. "What then?"

Terra shook his head, dragging Roxas forward. "Grab your spear, Ven," he muttered. Ven tilted his head, and he slowly dropped Roxas's arm. "When can we heal Roxas?" the boy asked, retrieving his spear from a few yards back. Terra adjusted his grip on the boy's shoulder, pulling him up as his knees sagged.

"I don't know," Terra said quietly. "I'll try it again when we get close to the mansion. But if I can't…"

"You'll leave me." Roxas looked straight ahead, his face devoid of emotion.

"No!" Terra shouted firmly. "We're not leaving you, okay?"

"No." Roxas shook his head and looked up at Terra. "If you can't heal me, you have to leave me. I'll only get in the way." The boy gritted his teeth and looked away again. "Just… find Kairi and send her my way, if you can."

"We can't leave you out there alone!" Ven cried, running up beside his brother. "What if you die?"

"I won't!" Roxas shouted, craning his neck to peer at Ven. His gaze was set in determination, his teeth grinding as he clenched his jaw. "I'm stronger than that. I won't die. Just send someone who can heal me my way if we can't find someone beforehand."

"Rox…" Ven murmured, shaking his head.

"No," Roxas said sharply. "I'm older than you. You can't tell me I can't wait outside while you fight. That's stupid, Ven."

Ven stared at Roxas, his mouth dropping open. Confusion settled into the boy's features, marring his usual carefree expression. He looked away, his eyes darting around the strip of free land, his thoughts muddling together into a mass collection of incomprehensible banter. He shook his head again, running his fingers through his loosely tied up hair.

"I don't want to leave you alone…" Ven said quietly, looking up at Roxas. Roxas watched him closely, noting how his fingers were twitched against Ven's hair, and how his knees trembled slightly, buckling every so often. Roxas's expression tightened. Ven wasn't completely healed.

"I don't mind," Roxas said steadily, pressing his hand harder against his wound. "But I do mind if my home gets destroyed." He paused, and through the quiet of the morning he could hear the soft screams of terror and frustration, and distant clangs of metal and banging of something unknown from the other side of the Light Region wall. Terra shifted uncomfortably, pulling Roxas up straight as he began to sag again. "We've been separated for a while now, Ven. I can hold myself on my own, and I know you can too."

"Um," Ven said, his golden eyebrows raising high. "Well, you know, you have a point, but you totally saved my butt back there, so now I'm not really sure if that's the case…"

"Just because you can be independent doesn't mean you don't need help sometimes." Roxas grinned, tilted his head at his brother. "We still need people to help us out sometimes. But I don't plan on fighting unless I can find someone to heal me." He straightened up, looking at Ven with eyes firm with determination. "But you and Terra can still fight. I'm going to trust you guys to win without me."

"But what if something happens to you and you can't defend yourself!" Ven cried, shaking his head. "What if—"

"You have to trust me," Roxas said. He watched Ven even more carefully, noticing how his body seemed to tremble even more. Roxas looked up at Terra. "Come on, we need to go."

Terra stared down at the boy, nodding slowly, looking a little dazed. "Ven, can you…?" Terra nudged Roxas a little to the side, and Ven quickly grabbed his brother's arm, slinging it over his shoulder. Terra nodded gratefully, letting go of the injured boy and summoning his Keyblade. He steadied the heavy blade for a moment, before flinging into the air. It spiraled in the sky, flying and blinking out of sight.

After a moment it returned, gleaming in the sunlight, a dazzling giant glider zooming their way. Terra jumped onto it as it curved near him, and he tipped it upward, coaxing it to a stop. Terra jumped down and nodded to Roxas. "You first," he said, gesturing up to the red glider. Roxas immediately shook his head.

Ven frowned and tugged his brother forward, but the boy barely budged. "Come on, Rox!" Ven groaned, pushing Roxas toward the glider. Roxas slipped himself out of Ven's grip, still shaking his head.

"Ven should go first," Roxas said, jerking his chin toward the glider.

Ven scowled. "Damn it, Roxas," Ven muttered. "Why should I go first? You're the one bleeding, you idiot!"

"Yeah," Roxas said slowly, applying a little more pressure on his wound, "but you're the one shaking like a leaf."

All three boys were silent. Terra's eyes focused on Ven, and the boy straightened up quickly. However, it was still painfully obvious that the boy was trembling. Ven folded his hands behind his back when his arm jerked a little.

"You can drive with both of us in front of you, right, Terra?" Roxas asked, glancing up at the older boy. Terra tore his eyes from Ven and nodded slowly. Roxas nodded as well. "Good. Let's go before the psychopaths wake up and try and find us."

"You really think they'll look out here?" Ven asked, his eyes widening. Roxas shrugged.

"I dunno," he said, watching Ven climb up onto the glider. "It's just that type of day."

Ven laughed and reached down, tugging his brother up onto the rider. The boy struggled a little, grunting in pain as he clambered up onto the hovering glider. "Yeah, it really is that type of day, huh?"

"Ven, hold onto your spear," Terra said, climbing onto the back of his glider. "If you drop it, you might accidentally hit someone."

Ven winced, gripping the spear a little better. "Ouch," he commented slowly as the glider began to ascend. His eyes widened, and he looked back at Terra. "Wait, Terra, what is this thing?"

Roxas rose an eyebrow, snorting a little while Terra barked a laugh. "Real late reaction, Ven."

"I'm serious!" Ven looked at the ground as they climbed to the height of the Light Region wall. "Holy crap! Terra, it's flying!"

"Yes, these things tend to do that." The glider reached a few feet over the wall before Terra leaned forward a little, his chin brushing Roxas's hair, and the glider went zooming. Roxas watched his brother carefully, noting he was still shaking, and wobbling a bit in his seat. Roxas closed his eyes and gripped his wound tighter. Hopefully Aqua was already at the mansion.

"Whoa," Roxas heard Ven murmur. Roxas looked down. Below them familiar scenery zoomed past. Cobbled streets weaving and mixing into dark paved stone, arching buildings that looked mismatched and odd, and normal buildings that were built from steady stone and wood. Trees with no leaves, and dead grass, and trees with leaves, though slightly snow capped. Roxas smiled a little, his stomach fluttering suddenly. He was home.

But then he saw it. The mass of blue pulsing in the streets, and the fire and smoke dancing around buildings. People were running, some screaming. He leaned forward a little, squinting as the continued to zoom through the air. That person on the street just then…

Roxas gasped. He felt stars gather across his vision, rapidly blinding him. He clutched his side, feeling more blood slip between his fingers and drip down. He swallowed, his stomach lurching as he fell sideways, his head colliding hard with Terra's arm. The arm didn't budge, however Roxas's body slipped under it, the momentum sending him flying off the glider.

Ven leapt to the side, grabbing Roxas's ankle as the glider was flung onto its side. "Roxas!" Ven cried, feeling his body begin to slip from the glider. He gripped his spear tightly so it wouldn't fall to the ground, and he winced when it hit something, making his grip loosen a bit. He felt a tug at his back, and he was suddenly being choked by the collar of his shirt. "Ven!" Terra gasped, sounding out of breath, as if he had been running. Ven blinked, realizing it was Terra he had hit with his spear.

"Terra," Ven shouted, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the ground below. "Terra, lower this thing!"

"I'm trying!" Ven could hear the strain in his voice. He was holding onto too much wait, and the glider wouldn't turn upright. "You have Roxas, right?"

"Yeah!" Ven gasped as his collar cut into his skin, one of the buttons along his shirt bursting under his weight. Ven gripped his brother's leg tighter. "Roxas, hold on!"

For a moment, there was silence. Ven could feel the glider descend a little, but it wasn't good enough. They'd fall soon. "Roxas?" Ven called, tears springing to his eyes as his collar cut deeper into his skin.

The boy moved his head slightly, but that was the only response Ven got. Ven squeezed Roxas's leg, his arm throbbing from the extra weight on it. "Terra," Ven croaked. "I can't hold on for much longer."

"Keep it together, Ven!" Terra growled, steadily trying to lower the sideways glider.

Ven winced, his hand sliding up toward Roxas's shoe. "Damn it, Rox," Ven muttered, a tear dropping from his eyes and disappearing as it flew down into the streets below. Ven stared. It wasn't that far down. Really. They were getting closer. It was only about fifteen feet. Maybe. They lowered a little more, and Ven let out a soft cry as his hand began to cramp.

"Terra, let me go!" Ven cried. "Let me go now!"

"What?" Terra shouted. "No way!"

"I'm gonna drop him!" Ven rasped, his arm buckling. "He'll fall face first, Terra! He'll die!"

"You don't know that!"

"Come on!" Ven groaned, digging his fingernails into Roxas's skin. "Just let me go! I'll be fine!"

"You can't know that, Ven!"

"Come _on_, Terra!"

Terra was silent. Ven took a deep breath, trying to keep up his breathing. But he was having trouble doing so, his collar cutting off the air his needed. Terra needed to let go.

Ven felt a sudden release, and he gasped as he fell forward, hurtling to the ground at stomach lurching speed. Ven thought fast, pulling his brother as close to him as possible. He felt heavy, and Roxas's added weight made them fall even faster.

They hit the ground fast. Ven's head smacked hard against the dirt, leaving him disoriented. Stars burned his vision, darting across his eyes like white fire. Ven flopped himself onto his back, gasping for air as his head began to throb. The sky was obscured by the flurry of stars, but Ven could make out the bright blue of it between the gaps. His head spun and his heart hammered against his chest. He ached all over, all of the exhaustion from days and weeks past piling up on top of him, sending his limbs rigid. Ven squeezed his eyes shut and breathed deeply, trying to calm his heart rate. He had to get up. There was no way he could lay around. He had to get up.

Ven rolled over onto his stomach, grunting in pain as he did so. His head continued to throb, and his arm ached considerably more than most of his other limbs, but as Ven moved it, he assured himself it was not a break. The boy sucked in another deep breath, the smell of smoke filling his mouth. He coughed before moving forward, inching his way toward his brother.

Something sharp stuck his neck, keeping him from moving any farther. Ven felt his heart speed up as something wound around his neck and yanked him upright, squeezing the air out of him. Something sharp was still poking his neck.

Ven's eyes widened as he got a better view of Roxas, who had a man standing over him, a sword drawn at his neck. The man's face was hidden by a helmet, but the lower half of his face was young looking. Early twenties, or late teens. Ven winced as he felt a bit of blood dribble over his eye. He couldn't speak. He was too out of breath.

Roxas's eyes were closed. Ven struggled a little his mouth opening to shout his name. No sound came out, however. Ven flinched, feeling heavy footsteps, and hearing them approach. Terra was not trying to be stealthy, and his panic gave him away. Ven coughed again, glancing at his brother. What an idiot.

Ven looked back to Terra, who had stopped in his tracks as a sword slid over his neck. His eyes were locked on Ven, darting to Roxas, and back again. Ven swallowed bile that had risen to his throat, and he gritted his teeth.

"Let them go," Terra said, his voice clear across the chaos around them. Ven finally noticed the fighting spread out across the length of the street they had landed on. People were attacking and getting attacked by little bluish monsters. Odd.

The man holding a sword to Terra's neck glanced at him, his face bearing not a hint of emotion. "Why should we do that?" he asked, pressing the sword against Terra's skin.

Terra's eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth as well. "They're just kids," Terra hissed. "And they're hurt. Have a little heart."

The man snorted. "A Red Man lecturing me about having a heart. That's new."

Ven blinked slowly, the term the man had used striking a chord in Ven's memory. "A red… man…" he murmured, coughing a bit. Where had he heard that before?

"Shh." Ven jumped, surprised to hear a voice coming from above him. He glanced up, his captor never looking down at him. Ven bit his lip. This was tricky.

Terra sighed and raised his hands over his head. "I'm not here to hurt anyone," he said firmly, staring at Ven. Or maybe he was staring at the man holding an arm around his neck. "I'm here to get rid of Xehanort."

"Like we'd believe that!" The man holding Ven snorted. Ven frowned. Why didn't they believe them?

"It's true."

"We can't believe Red Men."

"But they haven't done anything wrong!" Terra cried.

"Zack…"

Ven's eyes snapped toward Roxas. His eyes were open, though narrowed into slits as he glared down his nose at the man holding Ventus. Ven blinked slowly, the idea dawning on him that Roxas might know these people. But why would they attack him, then?

The man holding Ven peered over at the injured boy sprawled across the road. He seemed to freeze in his place. "Oh…" he whispered. Ven raised an eyebrow.

Ven collapsed on his stomach as the man unwound his arm from Ven's neck, and removed the tip of his blade from his jugular. "Fall back!" the man called.

"Fall back…?" the man standing over Roxas repeated.

"Yes, fall back!"

"Are you serious?" the man holding Terra still asked, his eyebrows raising.

"_Yes_," the man said, exasperated. "I know him, okay? He's a good kid."

Ven pulled himself up onto his hands and knees. He took a deep breath, letting his vision return to normal. Blood slid down his forehead, dropping onto the stone below him. His arms trembled under his weight, threatening to give way. It was then that he realized that for the first time in years, he was in the Light Region. For the first time that he could actually remember he was in the Light Region! That fact was so odd, and dizzying, Ven wanted to lay down. But that obviously wasn't an option.

"Are you okay?"

Ven looked up. The man had pulled Roxas up on his back, and now the boy's head was dangling at the man's shoulder. Ven nodded slowly. "I'll be fine," he murmured. "How's Roxas?"

"Oh, so he's definitely Roxas?" The man sighed in relief. "Whoo, that's good. I got confused for a minute. Wow, you guys really look exactly alike."

"Well, that's the thing about twins," Ven grinned, straightening up to his knees. "They can sometimes look identical."

"Great point!" The man beamed back. He looked toward the man with the helmet, grinning broadly. "I like this kid!"

The man looked a little taken aback. "Um…" But before he could say anything else, the man's expression turned blank.

"Let him go, Leon," the man said cautiously. "We're all friends here."

"I'm no friend of a Red Man, Zack," Leon said, his eyes darkening.

"He's not…" Roxas started, lifting his head from Zack's shoulder. He choked off near the end of his sentence, blood spurting from his lips.

"Roxas!" Ven gasped, jumping to his feet.

"I'm fine!" the boy gasped, lifting his head farther. "Calm down."

"There's blood all over your mouth!" Ven shouted, his eyes going completely wide. "Crap! Crap, Roxas!"

"I'm _fine_!"

"I can get him to Yuna, if she's done using Ifrit to blow up stuff."

"That was her?" Roxas asked, tilting his head as blood dribbled down his chin. "Damn, Yuna."

"Okay, I'll run him to the clinic, and you guys can chat!" Zack grinned, and looked toward Leon. "Play nice, Squall." Leon said nothing as the man left. Ven stood there for a moment, shock sinking in. The random encounter had left him confused.

"What's a Red Man?" Ven asked slowly, looking over at the man who still held a blade to Terra's neck. Leon simply rose an eyebrow.

"It's what we call Dark Region assassins," the man with the helmet said slowly. "They're called Red Men because whenever they come here they leave a bloody mess behind."

Ven looked at the man, for a moment at loss for words. His mouth dropped open, and his gaze flickered back to Leon, whose eyes had narrowed.

Then Ven laughed. He flung his head back, shaking his head, trying to stifle his giggles with his hand. "You think Terra's an assassin?" Ven grinned from ear to ear, clutching his chest. "Like that'd happen! He makes a big deal out of hurting _anyone_." Ven's expression turned suddenly dark. "Even when they deserve it."

Terra's face was frozen, his eyes wide, but the rest of his face expressionless. Leon pressed his blade harder against the man's throat, and Terra straightened up.

"So, let's hear it, _Terra_," Leon said evenly, his eyes narrowing again. "Are you a Red Man?"

Terra could only stare at Ven.

* * *

_Well effing FINALLY, yeah? Like, I planned on Ven finding out real early in the story, but that never happened. He's barely had any idea about Terra's old job, so this will be a shock when he does find out._

_I need to write more TWEWY. I mean, Neku is such a gorgeous little son of a bitch (and he is a bit of a bastard early in the game, for those of you who've not played it), and I just need to write all these characters because when I DID write for this fandom I only really wrote about Rhyme and Joshua (which I'll probably still end up doing because I'm still ever in love with that seriously screwed up pairing._

_Edited the beginning of this. I don't have time for the rest. I apologize, but I've been busy, and... yeah. I do plan on writing more KH when this story is over. And I plan on finishing this. Maybe before NaNoWriMo, but probably not. So expect no updates in November, because I'll be swamped by my love for NaNo._

_Also, for anyone who reads stories by Alacquiene, she contacted me recently and she's STILL ALIVE, SO REJOICE! If she ever reads this... Hey. ;D Hows it going? Um, but, I'm sure she'll be back in a few weeks or so, so expect that, possibly._

_Next Chapter: A Spark of Madness_

* * *

She stuck her hands in her pocket, beaming up at the woman with pink hair. "You've got me."


	75. A Spark of Madness

**White Knight: Seventy Five :A Spark of Madness**

Ven felt a chill envelope his chest and slide into his stomach. Terra was watching him with wide struck eyes, guilt awash all over his face. Ven lifted his head high, his mouth dropping open into a small gape. "Terra…?" Ven whispered, his own eyes widening. Leon cocked his head to the side, his eyes burning holes into the side of Terra's face.

"How about you fess up?" Leon asked coolly, his eyes glued to Terra's face. Terra continued to stare at Ven, who was feeling incredibly uncomfortable. The atmosphere around them seemed tightly compacted, and it almost hurt to breathe.

"Terra!" Ven cried, shaking his head. "Tell him to shut up! Tell him you never killed anyone!"

Terra opened his mouth, but no sound came out. The man looked too awestruck and guilty to speak. Ven felt his heart sink. No way this was right. No way. Ven wanted to sink to his knees, but he was afraid if he did he wouldn't be able to get up again. "Terra?" Ven croaked.

Leon rolled his eyes and lifted his blade from Terra's neck. Ven gasped as Terra was forced onto his knees, the blade coming as close as it dared to slitting his throat. Ven felt his stomach drop at the thought of watching his friend spurting blood from his neck. Ven shook his head and stepped forward, flinging his arms into the air when Leon gave him a sharp look. "Just stop it, okay?" Ven asked, his voice cracking as he sunk deeper into his own despair. It felt like the day should be over, but it was only a little past dawn.

"Sorry," Leon said, looking down at Terra. Ven shuddered, feeling a wave of fury coming from Leon's unwavering form. "But I don't really tolerate Red Men."

"He didn't admit to anything!" Ven cried, feeling tears prickle his eyes. Blood trickled down his cheek from the cut on his forehead. "Don't kill him just because you think he's a murderer! You can't know that!"

"I know how to pick up a Red Man," Leon said steadily. He glared down at Terra. "This is a Red Man."

"You can't be sure!" Ven moved forward, and Leon shot him an icy glare. Ven found himself unfazed. "Killing without reason makes you no different than… than a Red Man!" Ven dropped his arms to his sides, his fists clenching. "You must know that, right?"

"He's a Red Man," Leon growled.

"But you can't be sure," Ven said, his voice clearer. He was more confident now. "Let him go, please."

Leon scoffed, as if the idea seemed ludicrous to him. Ven's breathing sped up suddenly, and his stiffened, his mind shouting for him to duck. Ven dropped flat onto his stomach, listening as something whistled over his head and breezed past Leon's. Both of them looked equally bewildered, while Terra's jaw had dropped and a look of confusion passed over his features.

Something burst into a cloud of smoke, dissipating as it touched the air. The cloud was near Leon's back, hovering in the air until it was gone from existence. Ven rolled onto his back, propping himself on his elbows to get a better look. There was a girl standing on a broken flower wagon a few meters away, her sleeveless attire a simple silver dress that buckled at the waist. Black tight looking pants were under the dress, which was logical because of the cold. Detached sleeves clung tightly to her upper arms, curving around her elbow in an intricate swirling black design. Her face, much like the nameless man who was standing a few feet away, unsure about what to do, was shielded by a helmet that covered the eyes from sight. Her hair was still visible, however, and it wisped around the girl's head as the wind blew around them, whistling softly in Ven's ears. The girl's arm was extended, a curved instrument glinting in the winter sunlight. Ven's eyes widened.

The girl jumped down from the wagon, running the short distance toward them. She stopped beside Ven, her face directed at Leon's, probably in a long stare. Leon watched her, an eyebrow arched, but he said nothing.

"Let him go, Leon."

Leon's face sparked with more surprise. "Excuse me?" he asked, his anger returning, roiling in the air. "You nearly just shot a kid. Back down."

The girl stood there for another long moment, and Ven watched as her lips twitched. Something seemed oddly familiar about the girl. She stepped back, and her hand whipped behind her back, fast as lightning, retrieving a long silver arrow, her fingers catching the string easily and drawing it back far so her hand grazed her cheek. Ven jumped up half way and ducked into a rolled, tumbling toward his fallen spear and grabbing it. He rose to his feet, his fingers wrapping tightly around the cold metal, his stomach stirring from the uneasy feeling that Leon could be right.

"What are you doing?" gasped the faceless man. "You could kill them both with that thing!"

The girl said nothing, and Ven felt his own anger stir inside him. Didn't she care? Who was she, and why was she pointing an arrow at Terra?

"Back down," Leon growled. "You can't shoot straight enough to catch only me. And you're not a killer, either."

"Don't underestimate me," the girl whispered through gritted teeth. Ven was the closest to her still, though, only a mere few feet away, and he could see her hand trembling a bit.

"Hey, calm down…" Ven said slowly, lowering his spear. "Don't hurt them."

Ven wondered if the girl even spared him a glance. "Let him go, please, Leon."

Leon watched her, his eyes hardening. "Why?" he asked, his tone sharp. The girl took a deep breath.

"He's one of the people who came from the Dark Region to my rescue when that house fell on Vanille and me," she said, her voice clearer than Ven expected for someone who seemed so frightened. "Also, I think he can help."

"Serah," Terra said distantly. Ven blinked, and his jaw dropped as his eyes fell on the girl.

"_You're_ Serah?" He gaped, sticking his spear into the grass so he could move freer. The girl's head jerked a little, as if she were glancing at Ven.

"You know me?" the girl asked, her voice betraying a boat load of confusion.

"Uh," Ven said, laughing a little, "no, I don't. But Lightning and Hope have told me tons of stuff about you. They never mentioned archery, though."

"I started learning recently," she said quietly. As Ven peered closer, he could see the resemblance. Her lips were slimmer than Lightning's, but they had the same shape, and their chins were similar too. Not to mention the hair.

Leon seemed unconvinced, however. His eyes were narrowed at Serah, his lips tight. His blade was still dangerously close to Terra's neck. Serah took another deep breath, her whole arm trembling now. "You have to trust me, Leon. I don't think he's a bad person. And we _need_ more people! You might've cleaned up around this street, but down near the apothecary and ice cream shop there are loads of these thing!"

"Then why aren't you down there, like you should be?" Leon asked, his voice dry. Serah paused, and her cheeks flushed suddenly.

"I…" She looked down. "I saw them in the sky. I wanted to see if they came to help."

"We did," Terra said, smiling a little at the look of joy that appeared on Serah's partially hidden face. "But I'm sorry to say we can't stick around here." Terra's face turned stony. "We need to get into the mansion."

"The mansion?" Serah echoed, her voice raising in pitch to show her startled confusion. "Why?"

"Master Xehanort's there," Ven said solemnly, glancing down. "We think he's up to something big."

"_Xehanort_?" Serah's voice echoed her utter confusion, and startling terror. "He's here? He's at the _mansion_?"

"Yeah," Ven said quietly. "We need to get there before anything happens."

"How did he get to the mansion?" Serah asked, dropping her arms to her sides. "Someone must've have seen him, right? I mean, he's different than a Red Man. He's not very hard to miss."

"We don't know, exactly," Terra said, shifting under the blade against his neck. "But we intend to find out, and put a stop to all of this."

"Will you put your blade down _now_?" Ven asked, his teeth grinding in annoyance. Leon glanced up at Ven and sighed a little. He lowered his blade, allowing Terra to fall into a slump, rubbing his neck to check for injuries.

"Explain," Leon barked, resting his blade at his side. Ven tilted his head and squinted at the blade. It looked incredibly familiar. Had he seen this weapon before?

Terra stood up slowly, gazing at the ground with a sullen expression. He leaned back and turned to face Leon, his lips pulled into a frown. "Xehanort kidnapped a friend of ours—"

"Three friends, actually," Ven quipped, earning him a glare.

"Vanitas is not a friend, Ven," Terra said darkly.

"He's Aqua's friend!" Ven shook his head and glared back at Terra. "If she cares about him, so do I."

"That's not wise at all, Ven," Terra hissed, his fists clenching.

"Why not?" Ven asked, scowling. "I know you don't like him Terra, and I also know it's because you're jealous of him. But he _is_ Aqua's friend, and Aqua has good judgment."

"It's not about me being _jealous_!" Terra shouted, his anger finally getting the best of him. "Vanitas is a cold blooded killer, Ven! He doesn't care who he hurts, or why he hurts them. He just _does_."

There was silence in the street after that. The Light Region dwellers were all watching the duo intently, hidden eyes most likely incredibly wide. Leon's were narrowed, as if he were evaluating what was happening around him. Ven looked as if he had been struck by lightning (well, he had, in fact, and being struck by actual lightning was quite different), his mouth open into a slight gape, and his eyes gone wide.

"Come on, Ven," Terra said quietly. "Don't look so shocked. You know Vanitas is a bad guy."

"Yeah, but… still, I didn't think…"

"Of course you didn't," Terra sighed, shaking his head. "That's not your fault. You just like to believe everyone has a good reason for doing everything."

"And that's not wrong," Ven said, his voice cool.

"Of course not."

"Um," Serah cut in, waving her free hand, "sorry, but, we… we don't really have time for this. You understand, right?"

Terra and Ven glanced at each other. A sheepish smile spread across Ven's lips, while Terra simply looked embarrassed. "Uh," Ven said with a short laughed, "yeah, we need to get going. I need to find Naminé."

Terra watched the younger boy for a long moment, his eyebrows furrowing. "Out of… curiosity, Ven… what exactly are you going to do when you find her? I mean, after that? Will you just take her home and act like nothing happened?"

Ven blinked and stiffened suddenly, his lips tightening as if the thought had not occurred to him. He leaned back on his heels, exhaling sharply. "Well," he said, his voice oddly quiet. "Whatever she wants to do. It's her choice."

"So if she chooses to go back to your crazy normalcy, you'll just spring back into the psycho rut?" Terra asked, confusion sowed into his tone. Ven's eyes widened as he looked up at Terra, and his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," Ven said, his expression serious. "I will."

Terra stared at him, but he stayed silent. He knew he couldn't change the boy's mind. He turned away and walked forward, pushing all thoughts about Ven's choices from his mind. He couldn't do anything now. He needed to find Xehanort and end this. It wasn't an option now to let things go back to normal. Terra understood this. Things were going to change today. He wouldn't be able to go back to the life he lived before, and he wondered if he'd be okay with that.

It all depended on how this turned out.

Ven started forward, falling in time with Terra as they walked. He appeared to be lost, unsure of where they were going. Terra new the way, of course, so that wasn't a problem.

"Wait a minute."

Ven groaned and turned around to face Leon, who was striding forward, looking as impassive as ever. Terra stopped as well, though he didn't bother turning around. Leon folded his arms across his chest, and looked between the two of them. "Someone should go with you. Make sure you don't die."

Ven raised an eyebrow, laughing a bit. "Oh, come on," Ven grinned. "We're not _that_ hopeless. We can keep ourselves upright until Aqua arrives. To heal us."

"Look," Leon said, his voice carrying a death-like seriousness to it. "I don't want to send a kid out with only one guy to help him fight, no matter his experience, and _especially_ not against a master. I'll go with you and make sure you don't crumble once you have to fight him."

"Leon…" Serah said worriedly, her blue eyes widening with sudden fright. "Leon, you're one of our best fighters. Gunblades are really useful against these things, and… well, where are we going to find someone who can wield one as good as you?"

Ven's attention sparked and he jumped up straight, grinning from ear to ear. "Lightning's got a gunblade!" he cried, earning him a hard look from Leon and a small smile from Serah.

"That doesn't help us at all," Leon said, his eyes narrowing.

Ven merely shrugged. He blinked as the boy with the helmet stepped forward, patting Leon on the shoulder. "I can do it," he said nodding slowly. "Don't worry about it, Squall. She's right, you're needed here."

Leon snorted and shrugged the boy off. "Missing the action because I'm useful. Of course."

"That's what you get for being skilled," the boy chuckled, passing Leon and walking up to the Dark Region duo. "I can help you, if you'd like. I'm pretty good with a sword, though nowhere near Zack or Squall."

Terra tilted his head back at the boy while Ven simply grinned. "We need the help!" Ven laughed. "So, thanks."

"Just try not to die," Terra said, turning completely around. His face was dead serious. The boy simply chuckled, and nodded.

"You too," he said softly.

* * *

"I'm not asking any of you to fight for me," Aqua said for the umpteenth time, sighing in exasperation. "However, if anyone _does_ want to take the risk and fight, then go right ahead. I'm not an idiot, I understand I can't do this on my own. That's why I have friends over there _right_ now fighting for all of us. Do what you'd like, but I need to go and help them."

Lightning stood by Aqua's side, looking neither impressed nor disappointed in Aqua's words thus far. Aqua assumed she was doing well, since she hadn't stepped in. But these people were stubborn, and untrusting. Were they like this when they met Riku? Or Terra? A dark haired girl tilted her head and glanced around the room.

"Uh," she said, slowly standing up. "Hi. I'm Yuffie. Uh, so, if a bunch of us do decide to go… how do we get there?"

Aqua had been thinking about this. And she had an idea. A very mad idea, one that made her stomach flip, and her heart thump harder. Something so stupid and insane, it couldn't possibly fail.

"There are a great deal of flaws in the wall's design. There's one hole that is usually used for these types of things, it's covered by shrubs, but easy enough to get through. That's the best way in, unless one were to fly," Lightning said, her mouth twitching.

It took Aqua a moment to realize the woman was joking. She smiled a little, glad to see the woman had a sense of humor before saying in a loud, clear voice, "We can blow it up."

Everyone stared at her again. She wondered why she was drawing so much attention to herself today. She hoped this was only temporary. Attention could be awful. But now, she knew she needed help. Getting some extra attention was a fine price to pay, if needed.

"Are you _insane_?" gasped a dark skinned man, leaning forward toward her.

"That's a great idea!" Yuffie cried, her eyes alight.

"Except how?" Lightning looked down at Aqua, frowning deeply. "There are guards everywhere, and I don't believe you have any explosives on you."

Aqua smiled. She felt much more comfortable talking around these people, and her confidence was sky rocketing. She could do this, and she knew it. Today was a day for change, and what bigger change was there than breaking the barrier between the Light and Dark Regions? It was perfect, though very attention drawing. She wondered if they'd care. The guards didn't seem too bothersome, so she had trust that they'd be able to hold their own.

"We don't need explosives, Lightning," she said, chuckling to herself. She stuck her hands in her pocket, beaming up at the woman with pink hair. "You've got me."

* * *

Terra and Ven were unsure about their new recruit. The boy was quietly following them, sword resting on his shoulder. It wasn't a very fancy sword, like a Keyblade, or even the sword Zack had been brandishing. It looked like a simple broadsword, one an everyday soldier would carry. Ven realized this boy probably was just an everyday soldier. Nothing special, no magic, no brilliant blade of magnificent power. No experimentation to make him superhuman, or inhuman, or insane. He was simply normal. Ven found himself a little jealous, though he knew that compared to all of his friends, he was _very_ normal. One amnesia spell, yes, possible experimentation, but other than that… Ven had no special talents or skills, or abnormalities. He was a boy with quick reflexes. That was it.

Ven had no clue how to get to the mansion. He was awed by the sights of the Light Region, even if some of the pretty cottages and old stone buildings were aflame, or close to destruction. Ven stopped as he listened to the steady crackle of flames to his left. He hoped someone would put out the fires soon, because it was such a waste for all of this scenery to go down in fire. He turned around as the soldier passed him, and the boy stopped to look down at him. He paused as well, before spinning around, his sword drawn.

Ven didn't recognize the creatures approaching. They were sort of like blue blobs, but also like large, twitchy insects. Their red eyes glowed madly in the sun, sparkling and gleaming with weirdly prominent sharpness. Ven lifted his spear, his eyes narrowing. He hoped Naminé would be alright without him for a little bit. She was… she would be okay by herself, right? She was strong.

"What's your name again?" the boy beside him asked as Terra joined Ven's side.

"Ventus," Ven said, carefully, watching the little monsters creep forward. "But call me Ven, if you'd like."

"Ven," the boy said softly. "These things are quick. Be careful of when they spring, because they can take an eye out."

"Quick?" Ven grinned as Terra rolled his eyes. "Quick is my middle name!"

"Don't get excited, Ven," Terra whispered. "You're injured, and still shaking from getting electrocuted. You need to be careful."

"Shush!" Ven hissed, still grinning. "I'm full of energy. A few scraps and volts of electricity isn't gonna spoil the fun."

"Yeesh, Ven," Terra muttered, gripping his Keyblade tightly as a small blue monster leapt from the small mass and aimed for Terra. Terra swept his blade upward from the ground, tearing through the beast as if it were cloth. It disappeared on impact.

Ven grinned madly and sprang forward, much to Terra's dismay, and began to slash at the little blue things, twirling his spear expertly around and moving through the little crowd like a bird skimming through water. The soldier lifted his head, looking at Ven with a curious frown on his lips. Terra sighed in exasperation, looking rather irritated with the young blond.

"He's…" the boy said slowly. "He's very strange, that boy."

"Yeah," Terra muttered, smacking another monster away, letting it hit the wall of a still standing stone building. "He's got some issues. Wasn't always this crazy, but, you know, as long as he doesn't start going on killing sprees."

The soldier stepped forward, lifting his sword slightly as a monster inched toward him. The boy then jumped to the side, watching as the beast leapt toward him. The soldier lifted his sword, and the thing was hacked into two with one blow. Terra blinked, his eyes widening. Obviously he could manage to destroy one of these things with one go, but he hade Earth Shaker to deal some great power. This boy only had a sword. It took Ven three or four slices to get one of the beasts to disappear. The boy was powerful, that was for sure.

"Come on!" Terra shouted as Ven finished off the last of the monsters. Terra wasn't bothered by the way he held back on these things. If Ven wanted to blow off steam, Terra would let him. Now wasn't the time to loose his head. "We need to move, or else we'll get caught in more fighting!"

"Is that such a bad thing?" Ven asked breathlessly, resting the tip of his still bloody spear on the ground. Terra's eyes narrowed. He stepped forward and grabbed Ven's arm, dragging him forward. Ven shouted in objection, however Terra leaned forward, and whispered into his ear, "Your knees are shaking like a leaf in a storm, Ven. Calm down."

Ven quieted. He didn't need to look down at his legs to know it was true. He could feel them buckling, struggling to hold Ven's weight. Exhaustion was creeping up on him, the few hours of sleep Ventus got not enough to keep him stable. Ven was probably running on sheer adrenaline now. Which was why he felt like he needed to keep fighting, he realized. If he didn't, he'd drop like a rock.

"Let's run," Ven croaked, shaking his arm to make Terra release him. The older boy simply looked at him. Ven nodded and moved forward, his heart hammering in his chest. He needed to get going. He needed to. He let his legs slam against the pavement, sending tingles through his body. He zipped forward, leaving Terra in the dust, moving as fast as he could toward nowhere, because he had no idea where he was going. Terra shouted for him, but he did not listen. He ran, and let his heart thud in his ears, beating like a hammer against his ribs. He had to keep moving. He had to.

"Ven!" Terra screamed from not too far behind him. Ven moved faster. "Ven! Go left! Ven, stop _running_!"

Ven's breathing was erratic, ranging from small gasps to powerful gulps, never steadying out. This was incredibly dangerous, and he was feeling lightheaded, but he continued to run, jolts running up his legs as he felt the place where Larxene's knife had entered his skin and sent ripples of electricity shooting through his bones. He turned sharply left, and suddenly he saw it. The Light Region mansion standing tall and bright against the clear blue sky, softly gleaming against the white sunlight. Ven stopped running, dizzy stars fluttering about his vision as he slammed his hands onto his knees and began to gasp desperately for air. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten anything, and he'd had very little sleep the previous night, and been through a bit of hell between that time. Electrocution, and getting stabbed, and more electrocution, and more wounds, and falling from the sky and cracking his head open. That particular wound was making his head pound viciously, the thumping slamming against his eardrums, as his heart was, but in a different time.

He felt a gentle pat on his back, and Ven looked up through the blood that had dribbled over his eyelid, staring at Terra as he looked down with pity in his dark blue gaze. Ven coughed, his lungs burning for air that he didn't have. In hindsight, it had been a stupid idea to run. But he was here now, at least. Here was the mansion. Despite the flurry of bright white dots that obscured his vision, Ven knew how close he was. He could make it.

The soldier stood on the other side of Ven, staring through the branches of pine trees and into the courtyard of the Light Region's gorgeous mansion. Ven looked up at him, ignoring his burning throat, and said, "What is it?"

The boy shook his head and lifted his hands. He pulled off his helmet and let a mass of blond spiky hair which fell over his eyes and ears. He shook it out, and it took a rather sharp form, sharper than either Ven's or Roxas's hair. His eyes were bright blue, gleaming in the sunlight, like the rest of the pretty Light Region town.

"There's guards," the man said (and Ven realized he was indeed a man, though his face was rather boyish). "Two of them. Red Men, by the looks of it."

"Are we _related_?" Ven croaked, his eyes bulging out of his skull. "Come on, say we are! I won't believe it if you deny it!"

"Ven," Terra hissed, nudging him. "Not everyone who is blond is related to you."

"After meeting Ansem?" Ven asked, snorting a little. He was still very out of breath. "Everyone who's blond is related to me. Shut up."

"Naminé's blonde," the brunet pointed out, smirking a little as the man stared down at Ven blankly.

Ven scowled. "Yeah, but, no, 'cause Naminé was created in a lab. So she doesn't count."

Terra sighed, and shook his head, peering into the trees and into the courtyard. His eyes narrowed. He knew this place. And he knew those people.

"I'm not sure," the man said slowly, glancing back at the courtyard. "Roxas asked me that once, though. One of the few times we've talked, really."

"It's a possibility! What's your name?" Ven cried, before Terra quickly shushed him.

"It's our friends, again," Terra whispered, jerking his chin forward. "Don't kill them, Ven, Dilan isn't there."

Ven blinked, his grin falling. He leapt forward, and Terra grabbed him by his collar before he dove out of their hiding spot. Ven stared through the branches of the pine trees, his eyes locking on Braig and that other guy, Aeleus, his eyes darkening.

"They won't be a problem," Ven growled.

* * *

_Jeez, I'm tired. And the next chapter is a bit of filler, but after that I SWEAR it's smooth sailing (as in lots of fights and screaming and crying and kissing and dying) until the end. _

_Apparently I'm obsessed with making characters insane. That's not true, is it? O.o Some of my characters are sane! I mean, I've written Aqua, Terra, Riku, Xion, Hope, Lightning, and everyone else who isn't Ven, Nami, Vanitas, and Xehanort, completely sane!_

_So, I just finished the fifth season of Bones, and asdfghjkl, BOOTH, GET YOUR ASS AWAY FROM THE ARMY, BRENNAN, GET YOUR ASS AWAY FROM WHEREVER THE HELL YOU'RE GOING!_

_Also, I saw gifs from the seventh season promo, and HOLY SHIT, her stomach is HUGE. Like, I know that's what happens when you get pregnant, but it's seriously like, GIGANTIC. Things I'm not looking forward to during the sixth season, though:_

_Vincent's death._

_Vincent getting shot._

_Vincent not coming back._

_The death of Vincent._

_Vincent's lack of random facts._

_No more Vincent._

_(I think you guys know who my favorite intern is)_

_I'll shut up now._

_Next Chapter: Epiphany_

* * *

Hope tilted his head. His eyebrows furrowed again as he leaned on his hand. "What's a Red Man?"


	76. Epiphany

**White Knight: Seventy Six :Epiphany**

"Hold on a moment, Ven," Terra whispered, dragging the boy back. "Let's think about this for a moment."

"I don't really understand what there is to think about," Ven hissed, his eyes locked on the figures behind the trees. His face had gone dark, his eyes losing their cheery gleam, and Terra found himself getting worried.

"Rushing out there could cause some serious problems." Terra sighed, thinking about the time they'd wasted already. And the chances of finding Riku inside the mansion were dwindling the more Terra thought about it. "We don't have that kind of time, Ven. We can't afford to keep fighting the Guard! It seems like Xehanort's been here for a while. We might not have a lot of time left."

"And waiting here is going to buy us time?" Ven glared up at Terra and bared his teeth in a strangely animalistic way. "No way." And with that Ven tore himself from Terra's grasp and moved forward.

"Just _wait_," Terra gasped, his arm snapping outward to snatch Ven by the collar. But Ven had already stopped. He was staring into the trees, his eyes widened, his mouth open, and his anger gone.

Ven had stitched together a few things in his mind at once when he peered through the trees to gaze upon the guard. First, the word Red Man. It tasted funny on his tongue when he had said it before, like there was a long lost bitterness lying beneath the words. Then he recalled he'd heard it before, in a few of his memories. Of course he knew that phrase, he was Light Region born and raised! How could he not recall those words to refer to the evil men from the Dark Region who come to steal children in the night?

But the word sparked something else in the recesses of Ven's mind, something so close, so fresh, it had to be recent. Or semi recent, compared to the dredged up old memories from before Ven had decided to wipe his mind. He stood frozen, moments passing by like years as he felt himself thumbing through old conversations, whispers from a long while ago. He swallowed, his heart beginning to race as he thought back to the beginning.

_"It's not hard. The first person to see a Red Man wins." She paused, and looked down the banister. "I used to play it with someone. When I was little."_

Ven sucked in a breath, his heart thudding heavily in his chest. _Oh._

_"A Red Man is…" She tilted her head back, staring at the whiteness of her ceiling. "They're… people who… are stained red."_

Dark Region assassins.

Red Men were murderers.

Naminé had never played that awful game with anyone when she had been little. But Kairi had, hadn't she?

_There was a glaring light burning his eyes, and her face flashed in and out of his vision range, shaky and unfocused like an old film. His own laughter echoed in his ears, and his heart rammed against his chest, because they weren't allowed to play this stupid game. It was idiotic, and dangerous, but it was fun too, so they did it sometimes for the thrill. Kairi's pale face bobbed up, stark in his memory, her red hair falling gracelessly like a heap of crimson ribbons around her head. She was clinging to his arm, looking rather unhappy with the situation at hand, and then…_

"_Hide!" he yelped, dragging his younger friend into a lopsided bush big enough to hold two children. She was crying already, and Ven felt suddenly awful for pulling her along. But she'd insisted on not staying at the mansion, so what else were they to do? Ven shushed her carefully, his pulse racing as a pair of dark boots came into sight from their dim lighted hiding place. Ven smiled to himself. They'd won._

Ven felt a shudder pass through him. He glanced back at Terra, and his gut twisted viciously, as if something had grabbed his stomach and tried to yank it from his abdomen. The hair on his neck and arms stood up on end, and chills prickled his skin all over his body, sending bumps running across his arms. Ven's legs began to buckle, his throat running raw, and his heart thudding like a sledge hammer against his ribs. Thumps echoed in his ears, and head, and he felt the strongest urge to run like there were dogs snapping at his ankles. Ven looked Terra up and down, his heart continuing to clench up his chest, sending thuds along his whole body.

The more Ven looked, the more fear seized his body.

It was unlike anything Ven had ever felt before, at least not during his time in the Dark Region. Cold hands clenched his heart, and bile built in his throat as he began to think about all this. It stirred in his mind like acid, burning everything it touched. His thoughts became jumbled and broken up, as if he were hearing them through a static filled radio.

He found that he couldn't look Terra in the eye, either.

And with this, Ven let out a tiny breath, his hands shaking as he ran his fingers through his hair. He did not want to believe it. But there was that feeling, that complete and utter terror that held his abdomen in an iron grip. It was the sixth sense all residents of the Light Region had to detect Red Men.

Ven gritted his teeth and shoved his trembling hands in his pockets. "Guess I win, Naminé," he hissed under his breath as a crackle tore through the air behind him, making him jump a few feet.

* * *

Aqua tilted her head as Hope plopped down next to her. He wasn't cradling his injured side, which was a good thing. He looked alright, a bit pale, but not corpse-like as he had been when Aqua had come to save him. She smiled gently at him, realizing she knew very little about this boy. He was a friend of Ven's, but she had no idea who he was, really.

"Hello, Hope," she said softly, glancing at his side, which was covered up by a thicket of bandages. He was wearing his school shirt over it, but it seemed he was uncomfortable with the bloody hole in it, so he didn't bother buttoning it up. "How are you?"

Hope shrugged his shoulders, his eye twitching a bit. Aqua sighed. Yes, he was still in pain. She wished she could fix that. But she'd already given him as much magic as she could. She knew she'd be too exhausted if she healed him more. Which was such a shame, but…

"I'm doing okay," he said, glancing up at the ceiling. "Just was thinking… about the wall." He frowned deeply, and Aqua sighed. At the moment, most of the adults in the room were huddled in the bar's kitchen, a small closed off room off to the side of the main bar. They were discussing whether or not they wanted to actually try and blow up the wall.

"I know it sounds silly," Aqua said, looking down at Hope, her eyes set in determination, "but I honestly believe this might be the best way." Hope looked up at her, a small smile appearing on his face as he began to laugh a little. He shook his head slowly and rubbed his side.

"I agree." He looked down at his hands, which were still caked with dried blood. Aqua stared at them, frowning as flakes of red dust fell to the floor as Hope moved his fingers into a fist. "I think it's time for the wall to go down. And I've got an idea that can help."

Aqua straightened up immediately, and she stared down at him with interest. "Alright," she said nodding. "What is it?"

"Well, what exactly do you plan to do to the wall to knock it down?"

Aqua blinked. She had not told anyone her plans for the wall, so she supposed this was a very good question. She hummed to herself and turned around, reaching over the bar's shiny black countertop and grabbing a yellow pad and a pen from beside the register. She began to sketch a strangely crooked version of the Dark Region wall. Hope spun on his swerving bar stool as well, and peered over her arm at her crude drawing.

"Okay," she said, tapping the wobbly, box-like doodle. "This is the Dark Region wall."

"Okay." Hope nodded.

Aqua leaned forward and drew another box behind the first one, this one more rectangular and less crooked. "Then this," she jabbed the tip of her pen at the rectangle, "is the Light Region wall."

"You're gonna blow up both?" Hope sounded awed and frightened at the same time, his green eyes going wide. Aqua sighed and dipped her head into a slight nod.

"An explosion will alert the guards immediately. And it's not as if we'll be able to use the front gate."

"That makes sense, but what about the people on the other side of the wall?" Hope's eyebrows furrowed tightly, and worry lined his face. He didn't really seem like he was only fifteen.

"There's some kind of commotion going on the inside of the wall already, Hope." Aqua stared down at her inked drawing of the Light Region's barrier. "If anyone is near the wall, they would be the Light Region rebellion, and they'd probably welcome everyone with open arms. Though it might be a bit unfriendly until people are recognized."

"What if someone gets hurt in the explosion?"

"We'll send a warning signal. A loud whistle, or a flare, or a gunshot." Aqua stopped herself, realizing she had thought long and hard about this. When? Had this thought always been at the back of her mind, taking down the walls? She swallowed hard and glanced at Hope. He seemed to have relaxed, though he had a skeptical expression, as if he didn't quite buy it.

"Anyway," Aqua murmured, tucking her braid behind her ear. "We'd have to act very quickly, though it depends on the size of people we'll have with us. If they even decide to come. If not, I can just take Lightning there without all of this trouble."

"How?" Hope's face sparked with a gleam of curiosity, and Aqua smiled, noting how his face seemed to transform as interest took over. He looked like he was fifteen now.

"I can transform my Keyblade into a glider… it can fly, and hold two or three people. It's very cool." She grinned as Hope's eyes lit up as if a light had turned on behind them. She knew the idea of it must've sounded magnificent to a kid who'd never really seen much of Keyblades.

"That sounds amazing!" Hope shook his head. "Why haven't I heard about this before?"

Aqua sighed and looked down at her doodles. "It's mostly a Red Man sort of way of traveling," Aqua said quietly.

Hope tilted his head. His eyebrows furrowed again as he leaned on his hand. "What's a Red Man?"

* * *

"_Cloud, I'm on my way up to you_," a clear voice emitted from the blond man's pocket as Ven ducked under a branch for safety from the crackling. Terra jumped, and glanced through the trees to see if the guards had noticed the noise. Luckily, they had not, and were still looking rather bored.

The blond man, Cloud, pulled out a small black device from his pocket. He flicked a button at its side and brought it to his mouth. "Way to scare the shit out of us, Zack," he said, his voice low. "You're lucky you didn't give us away. What if we were hiding?"

There was a pause, and the device crackled softly. Terra glanced at Ven as he peered out from behind his branch. What was his problem? Terra tilted his head and glanced through the trees again. The guards were still there, and seemingly still oblivious.

"_Ah_," Zack said, his voice still clear inside the little device. "_Sorry, Cloud. That was my bad, majorly. I dunno why I even get put in charge sometimes_."

"It's fine, just be careful next time you try and communicate someone." Cloud frowned, and looked over at Ven. "Uh, Zack, where are you?"

There was a soft crackle again, and Cloud sighed and leaned forward. "Are you okay?" he asked, staring at Ven with a strange expression contorting his features. Ven blinked slowly.

"_Uh…_" Zack's voice crackled a bit, breaking the clearness, and Ven flinched. Terra's eyes widened. "_I'm right behind you."_

Terra turned around, as did Cloud. Zack was indeed running down a slight slope, a grin spread across his already beaming face. Terra raised his eyebrows and glanced at Ven. These two were a lot alike, it seemed.

"My little Cloudy!" Zack cried in a loud whisper. "That hair could poke out one of my eyes! Keep that helmet on for the safety of these fine Dark Region citizens!"

Cloud rolled his eyes and tucked the black device in his pocket. He did not look surprised by Zack, or even a little amused by his antics. Cloud simply slid his helmet back over his head, looking rather agitated as he did so. "You're one to talk," he said in a soft grumble as his spiky blond hair disappeared behind the gray helmet.

Zack tucked his hands into his pockets, a grin still fresh on his face. He noticed Ven hiding behind the branch, and his smile fell. "Hey… Ven, are you okay?"

Ven stood up slowly, his eyes downcast as he pushed the branch away. "Sorry," he said quietly. "The walkie talkie thing, uh… kinda freaked me out." He rocked on the balls of his feet and sighed. "I've been having some nasty luck with lightning spells lately, and…"

"Yikes," Zack whistled. "I know how that is, kid. I've been hit with one or two lightning spells, and they were terrifying."

Ven nodded. "They hurt a lot," he said softly.

"Understatement of the century, I think," Zack laughed, before he was elbowed in the side. Cloud glanced at Terra, whose gaze was flickering between Ven and the guards.

"How'd you know where we were, Zack?" Cloud whispered. Zack shrugged.

"Asked Squall. I figured you'd need the back up." He stepped forward and pointed a thumb toward the guards in the courtyard. "Obviously I was right."

"We need to get inside," Ven whispered, staring up at Zack. He straightened and took a deep breath. "Quick, if that's possible. I don't want to hurt them though."

"Them?" Zack blinked, confusion spreading across his face. Cloud nudged Zack's shoulder and jerked his head at the guards. Zack mouth opened, as if he were saying, "Oh."

"You were pretty pissed about five minutes ago, Ven," Terra said with a snort. "What happened?"

Ven did not answer.

"Hey, it's okay," Zack said, patting Ven on the head. "Cloud and I are pretty decent at fighting, I think. This is the reason I came. Two of us out here and two of us in there."

"You want us to go in without you?" Terra's eyes went wide, and Zack laughed.

Cloud chuckled and shook his head. "Like Zack said." He smirked. "We're pretty decent at fighting."

"Let's hope so," Terra said, looking awfully skeptical. He turned and stared through the evergreen trees. "These guys are pretty nasty. The one with the guns especially."

"Don't worry about it." Zack sighed and shook his head. "We've dealt with magic, super weapons, and super abilities before. It's nothing new to us."

"I hope so," Ven said softly, his eyes dull. "I guess all you need to be is quick."

* * *

"Okay, anyway," Aqua sighed, tapping the pen against the countertop to get Hope's attention. It worked, and he glanced at her, interest shining mildly in his gaze. "A Red Man is a Light Region term. It just means a killer from the Dark Region."

"Uh," Hope said, his eyes widening. "Oh. And you have one of these killer float things, because…?"Aqua rolled her eyes and stared down at the yellow notepad. She began to tear at the corner of the paper, her lips tugging downward.

"I can wield a Keyblade," she said quietly. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's not really the best gift to have around here. I'm not a Red Man, or anything, but…" She opened her eyes and looked down at her doodle again. She shrugged.

"Oh." Hope blinked. He then smiled and shook his head. "Technically, Miss Aqua, you'd be a Red Woman."

Aqua stared down at him, and a grin split across her face. She laughed and nodded. "Yes, Hope, that would be the technical term." She looked down and gestured to her doodle. "But now let me explain."

"Okay."

Aqua gently tapped the crooked drawing of the Dark Region wall. "What I want to do is this." And then she penned little circles vertically down the wall. She then quickly did the same for the Light Region wall, before leaning back and inspecting her handy work. It was still rather a mess, but it sufficed. Hope stared at it, frowning a little, before he pointed at the circles.

"What exactly do those do?"

"Mine fields." She smiled to herself, proud that the idea had dawned on her. "I can easily produce them with magic. They're just like little circles that will blow up if touched."

"I know what a mine field is, Aqua," Hope chuckled, staring at her drawing intently. Aqua flushed, feeling foolish for explaining it. She'd only assumed… well, it was foolish anyway. "But I was hoping you'd do something like this."

"Oh?" Aqua tilted her head. "Why is that?"

Hope smiled again and reached for the notepad. She handed him the pen, and he began to draw horizontally over her vertical circles. "What if you put a bunch of mine fields like this?" he asked, looking up at her.

Aqua glanced at his drawing and shrugged. "I suppose," she said, running over what she had been planning to do in her mind. It could work horizontally, of course, it'd just be a lot more difficult to get a major reaction and get it quick enough.

"Well, what if you shot at the mine fields? They'd blow up a whole lot quicker than what you'd planned to do, right? I bet you were gonna use a fire spell, or something." Hope poked a circle with the tip of the pen. "I know a shot will only set off the mine, not make the explosion bigger. But what if the bullet held fire magic?" Hope stared up at Aqua, his eyes wide. "What then?"

Aqua stared down at him. Her mouth dropped open as she considered the possibility. It could definitely work. Easily! They could be a great distance away from the walls and still shoot all of the mines within seconds, causing a big enough reaction to take down a chunk of the wall, but not big enough to cause a fire. It was the perfect point to her plan.

"That's ingenious!" she gasped. "My gosh, Hope, that's an amazing idea! I hope that means you've got something that can do that up your sleeve."

His eyes gleamed, and he nodded. "Oh hell yeah, I do."

* * *

Cloud and Zack didn't waste any time. They were out of the trees and into the courtyard faster than Ven could have ever expected. Swords drawn, they attacked with a strange fierceness, like lions, or tigers, their strength startling, and their speed easing into dizzying. Ven's mouth dropped open, and he leaned forward, wondering if he'd be able to top any of that. Of course, he figured he was faster than them both, but who knew. Today was a weird day.

Terra wasn't so surprised, though he seemed reasonably startled by the men's ability to strike so swiftly and directly. He shook his head, wondering how this came to be. Light Region soldiers weren't really known for their abilities, obviously. They let Red Men across the wall way too much for them to be capable. But here were two rather great soldiers, battling against two rather great (if not insane) Dark Region soldiers. It was a bit awe worthy.

He snapped out of his thoughts quickly after Braig's arrows began to fly. He sucked in his breath. "Let's go, Ven," he hissed, breaking through the trees.

Ven watched him, his mind numb on what exactly he was supposed to do. He figured it out eventually, and darted like hell across the courtyard, which was pretty, and well kept compared to the Dark Region one. But it seemed to be that way everywhere in the Light Region. Even the nature was nicer. Flowers grew in places, even though it was still winter.

He brought himself to his knees, sliding painfully across the stones to dodge a flurry of glowing arrows. He held his spear steady and whacked Braig hard in the knees with it as he passed. Bastard deserved everything he got, Ven figured. Though now he figured death was a cruel punishment, and it wasn't right to inflict it on anyone.

He glanced back at Cloud and Zack as they battled Braig and Aeleus. Zack winked at him as he lifted his abnormally humongous sword and struck at Aeleus, and brought up his mighty hammer to block it. Ven smiled back and stood up, smacking away an arrow or two before running into the safety of the mansion, sliding into time with Terra's footsteps.

Ven knew better now. Like he'd said before. A bad person is still a person. Death to them wouldn't undo what they'd already done. He glanced up at Terra. But still, he wondered how this all had happened. For how long, and why?

Well, he could guess why.

Ven felt as if his stomach had iced over. His heart still thumped heavily in his chest, and he hoped he would be able to just forget he'd ever found out about Terra.

But deep in his heart, he knew he'd never be able to. And his gut twisted with an anger that Ven quickly quashed.

* * *

_FILLER. AND I NEED ANGIE-LA. I just need her to come onto MSN and let me rant to her about ALL OF MY FEELINGS FOR TYPE-0! **SPOILERS** BY THE WAY._

_If this game doesn't come to America... *Groan* I just... It's so sad... and Ace and Duece... and everyone... and the card at the end... and all of them laughing, and talking about their futures when... D''''= Gross sobbing, guys, GROSS SOBBING._

_I just can't. Like, I haven't come this close to crying over something since Gosick. Not counting that one episode of Bones. -.- I have a weakness for tough, emotion-locked characters when they cry. Everything just comes down after that. And I mean, Brennan, she like SOBBED. Anyway, yeah, wow. Type-0._

_Worse than Crisis Core, worse the Birth By Sleep._

_It is seriously the saddest, goriest, grittiest Final Fantasy game there is. Everyone I liked. People I didn't even know the names of! Like Cater, and Cinque..._

_And Angie-la isn't here so I can't go sobbing to her and woe about how beautiful it is, and awful, awful, SO AWFUL. _

_I didn't expect everyone to die. ;-; I honestly didn't. I figured a few people would die, but then there's be a bittersweet ending. Which there was, kind of, but it tasted so bitter, it made me want to cry. And I almost did. Like I said. Everyone. EVERYONE. They all died!_

_Just, like... *Slump* I need Angie. At least we could sob together if she were her. GOD DAMMIT. I BET SHE'S IN LOS ANGELES. EFFF. Tomorrow I'll rant to her, then._

_I'm pretending most of you know who Angie is. -.- If you're wondering, she's a very good fanfiction friend of mine, who I go to whenever I have too many feelings, because she too has too many feelings, and then we swap what we have too many feelings for and we have too many feelings for that too, so we can relate._

_And stuff. She's a huge procrastinator, so it takes her like, five years to finish something even though she reads like, wicked fast. O.O_

_Next chapter: Doppelganger_

_Waaah._

* * *

"I can't heal at all," Ven croaked, a tear running down his cheek. No. He couldn't be a killer. Not after all this. Not after his revelation that murdering was never the answer, that death could always be avoided!


	77. Doppelganger

**White Knight: Seventy Seven :Doppelganger**

Ven did not look at Terra as they crept through the halls of the mansion. His mind was reeling with thoughts of the Red Men from his patchwork memory, and worries for all the people he knew were in danger. Zack and Cloud fighting Braig and Aeleus. Aqua, somewhere in the Dark Region, hopefully alright. Naminé, who was struggling with her sanity, and her memories, and her humanity. Xion, who was here because she'd been created, and Vanitas who was out on some kind of path of destruction.

The silence was rich in the glass-like halls of the light region mansion, glittering dully in the light streaming through large windows that stretched up from the floor. Ven was reminded of the large window in Naminé's room, the strange patterns winding up the brilliant gleaming glass reminiscent of the metal wire that curved around the one and only window in the plan white room.

Every so often, when they'd pass a window, Ven could hear screams, and he would catch sight of smoke, and a flutter of flames. He tried to ignore it, but his brain kept rewinding memories that he didn't even know he had. From times when he had a mind that as trusting as a puppy's, and idiotic as a rock. Ven wondered if he'd always been very naïve. He couldn't remember what he'd been like before Naminé, but he figured he was…

He realized now he'd never really lived much in the Dark Region. He stared into the abyss of shadows further down the hallway, and he wondered if he had ever really lived at all. His life in the Light Region seemed like a stupid dream, one too absurd to believe. His life in the Dark Region seemed like one irritatingly frightening obstacle after another, followed by a whole mess of confusion.

When had he ever lived his life for himself there, anyway?

Not that he minded serving Naminé. He adored her. But he found it strange. He never really asked for much.

What did Ven want, anyway? What were his dreams?

Naminé safe and sound could not count, could it?

"Why haven't we been attacked yet?" Ven whispered, trying to ignore the gnawing in his stomach.

Terra was watching the shadowy passage intently, and he slowed to a stop. He jerked his head toward the shadows, his expression guarded. Ven wondered if he was afraid, but didn't want to show it. If so, Terra was stupid. But that was not a huge surprise.

"He's probably expecting us," Terra murmured back, summoning his Keyblade. "Keep that spear close to you." Ven looked down at his spear. It was pretty trusty, considering all it's been through in one morning.

"Is it lunch time yet?" Ven whispered as they continued down the hall. He felt himself drift to the left of Terra, his stomach turning to ice when getting to close. Terra chuckled, but said nothing. They fell back into silence again, their footsteps like thunder in the vast emptiness that was the mansion. Ven sighed, his skin beginning to crawl as they moved into the shadows. He didn't remember any of this. The landscape outside was pretty recognizable from some memories, though it was considerably marred since the last time he'd been out there.

He knew there had to be things Ansem had not told him. He hoped he'd be able to find them out.

He desperately wanted to know what possessed his younger self to rid himself of his memories.

Terra paused as they reached the end of the hallway. A large door stood tall in the darkness, a glowing omen of danger. Ven reached out, his fingers grazing the darkness floating around the entrance. It was cool to the touch, and almost soft, though it gave off the same stomach churning vibe Ven had caught from Terra.

"They're in here?"

Terra nodded slowly, glancing behind them. He looked a little worried. Ven looked back as well.

"Where is she…?" Terra whispered, his fist tightening around his blade. Ven stared up at Terra, and some of his uneasy feelings subsided. Instead, worry filled his gut, tying it in knots.

"She probably got tied up with Lightning and Hope," Ven whispered back. "Lightning might've put her to work, or something. She'll be here soon."

"I hope so."

"She'll be here."

Terra took a deep breath, his eyes flitting back to the door incased in darkness. "I think this stuff is harmless," he said, sticking his hand into the vat of it. Ven yelped, but Terra pulled his hand out, lifting it up to show how it was unscathed. Ven blinked, and stuck in hand inside the shield of darkness. A shudder ran through his body, his stomach lurching, and then going nauseatingly cold, like it'd been touched by a freezing spell.

Ven withdrew his hand. "I guess it is," he murmured, relaxing a bit once he was relieved from the darkness.

"It's probably just here to scare us away," Terra observed, his eyes flitting up and down the doorway. Ven sighed and leaned back.

"Well, it's pretty eerie." Ven shrugged, and smiled a little. "Not gonna stop us though."

"Definitely not."

"Okay, let's break this stupid thing down and kick the old bastard's ass."

Terra grinned down at him, and Ven straightened a little. He still felt uncomfortable with Terra, but he'd wait until after all of this was done with to confront him about all this Red Man business.

"On three?"

"Sure."

"Alright. One. Two. Thr—"

The darkness dispersed, as if sucked away by wind. The doors were flung open, and Ven was greeted with a grinning face. Golden eyes flashed like sunbeams, glittering madly. Ven jumped back as Terra rose his blade. The madness in the boy's eyes grew intensely as his gaze fell on Terra.

He tilted his head. His grin grew wider and wider, and Ven stared. He knew what was going to happen next, and so did Terra.

Vanitas leapt forward.

* * *

Aqua jumped to her feet as Lightning appeared. Hope jumped up as well, and Aqua smiled at him warmly. The boy was clever, at least. She didn't really want to admit it, but he'd probably be a decent fighter as well. She didn't want anymore child soldiers running around, but she couldn't help but wonder if this boy wanted to fight to prove himself to Lightning, or if he just wanted to help fight.

"They're still talking it over," Lightning said, "but it looks like you'll have your explosion, Aqua. Put on a good show."

"I will," Aqua said, smiling up at the pink haired woman. "But I need to ask you something. You might not like it."

Lightning's eyebrows raised, but she said nothing. Hope watched her intently from behind Aqua, a little tentative, as though he was a child about to be scolded.

"I think Hope should fight with us."

Lightning looked at her, her pale blue eyes flitting to Hope, then back. She let a soft scoff escape her lips.

"No," she said shortly, and she turned on her heel and walked off.

"What? Wait!" Aqua ran forward, stepping in front of Lightning, who looked rather agitated with the blue haired maiden. "Lightning, I know it sounds stupid—"

"I'm considering slapping you right now, yes."

Aqua sighed and looked at Hope. He watched the two of them intently, his hands on top of his head. "But I really think he can help!" She fiddled with the string around her neck, and she sighed. "Lightning, I know he was just hurt really badly, but… I don't know. I think he should fight, I guess. It's insane, but maybe he should."

"Let's rewind this day so far, Aqua," Lightning said, her tone biting. "I gave him a rifle, sent him off as bait, accidentally slashed him and almost killed him, and now that he's healing you think I should send him out to fight a war?"

"I know," Aqua sighed, "I know, alright? I understand what it's like to want to protect someone after you put them through something, but that doesn't always work!"

"This is none of your business," Lightning said icily, her eyes just as cold.

Aqua swallowed and opened her mouth to speak, but she knew it was true. All of her confidence flew away, and she was left stripped of courage against the woman as chilly as a winter storm. Hope stepped in for her quickly.

"I want to go, Light."

Lightning's eyes snapped toward him. "No."

"Light!"

"No!" She balled her hands into fists at her sides, her teeth gritted as her furiousness showed in her usually cool expression, heating her glare to a boiling intensity. "I don't think you understand. I almost killed you an hour ago. I'm not going to lose you to a stupid fight if I can prevent it."

"But it's not stupid!" Hope cried. "It's Xehanort in the Light Region! I want to be there. I need to be there when the wall comes down! I have to help!"

"I don't think so." Lightning turned away toward the other end of the bar.

"Why are you being so difficult?"

Lightning spun around, her anger flashing in her eyes like an oncoming storm, a dangerous mass of fury roiling in the depths of her gaze as she stared Hope down, her mouth thin. "Because I _care_," she said, her voice no more than a growl.

Hope slumped. Aqua backed up as he stared up at Lightning. "I know," he said quietly. "And I'm really sorry. But I need to do this."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Please!" Hope moved forward and grabbed Lightning's arm, staring up at her with his eyes wide. "Lightning, I have to! I want to fight. Please, Light, you have to let me do it!"

The whole bar went silent, and curious eyes swerved toward the duo. Aqua stepped back, glad that the attention wasn't on her any longer, but at the same time guilty that she wasn't helping. Lightning had a look on her face, a rigid, shocked look in her eyes that made Aqua understand how much the woman didn't want Hope to go. He was injured, yes. Her decision was… very hard.

Lightning grimaced, her teeth baring in an unsettling way. "If you die," Lightning said, her voice cold, and cutting, "If you so much as get _hurt_, you have no idea how much pain I will cause you, life or afterlife."

Hope's eyes sparked with delight, and he grinned up at Lightning, happiness spreading across his face. "Thanks, Light!" he cried, flinging his arms around her. She stiffened, and did not return the affection.

* * *

Ven jumped to the side, holding up his lance as Vanitas lurched forward, his eyes flickering between the two of them. Who would he attack first? In the end, Vanitas did not seem to care, and he moved toward Ven with a quick pounce, like a large cat. Ven ducked himself into a roll, moving as far away from Vanitas as he could. He leaned against the open door as Terra swept forward, slamming his Keyblade into the boy's side. He howled in pain, and backed away, staring at Terra with a transfixed expression, his lips moving slowly, as if he were mumbling a pray, or a spell, or a curse.

Ven stood up, raising his spear as Vanitas tilted his head. His eyes flashed to Ven, and a grin spread across his face. He pushed himself forward, moving awkwardly with most of his weight to one side, as if he were favoring one leg. He twisted around, launching himself at Ven with a great amount of speed. Ven jumped up as the boy approached, his mind reeling with images, flashes and snippets of long forgotten memories of how to fight properly. He smacked the blunt side of his spear against Vanitas's cheek, and he stumbled sideways.

Terra took his chance at Vanitas, slashing upwards at him, and he howled again, this time with anger flashing in his golden eyes. He spun around, swiping at Terra as if his finger tips were clawed, but Terra was already striking again, bringing his key down on the boy's shoulder. He jumped back, clutching his bloody side, his left arm hanging limply, and he stared. Ven stared back, confusion settling in his mind as he watched Vanitas dodge and launch himself, never really thinking through his attacks and often having them blow up in his face.

This confused him greatly. He wasn't even using a weapon. Ven knew he'd be helpless without the stupid spear he'd stolen. Also, if it broke, he was screwed.

"Terra, something's wrong!" Ven shouted, drawing attention to himself. Vanitas's head jerked toward him, and his grin widened. He leapt forward, moving slowly. Ven whacked him in the chest and kicked him away. He peered into the room Vanitas had come out of, but it was too dark to see. Ven could tell there was another dark barrier like the one on the door inside the room. He groaned.

"Ven, watch out!"

Ven looked up and yelped. He pushed himself back against the door and waved his spear, slashing Vanitas's good arm as he reached for him. Vanitas jumped back, his eyes glowing with anger. Ven swallowed hard and gritted his teeth, wondering why the boy wouldn't back down, or at least get a weapon so he wasn't getting hurt so bad. Maybe Ven could just knock him out, like he did with the others he'd fought.

Terra moved behind Vanitas, hitting him hard in the back, and the boy fell to his knees. Ven gaped as Terra readied himself to knock the boy out, but Vanitas was quicker than he expected, and he brought up his leg, slamming it into Terra's stomach. Terra was shocked into stillness for enough time for Vanitas to slip of the way and hobble to safety. He wasn't in very good shape.

Vanitas stepped back, his arms sort of hanging loosely at his sides, useless and bloody. His clothes were choppy, and torn from the damage Terra had given him, and he looked quite like an upright corpse. Of course he had quite a bit of color left in him, so he would probably continue to fight until Terra cut of his legs, or something like that. Ven wasn't sure he'd be able to take something like that.

Vanitas cocked his head to the side. Terra and Ven watched him as he moved slowly forward. His eyes glinted. Ven shook his head. Something wasn't right here.

Vanitas began to move quicker, his legs still somehow keeping him upright. Ven rose his spear, scowling as Vanitas crept closer and closer. He moved with a strange litheness. Of course, Vanitas was agile, and Ven knew it, but there was something strange about him. Something off. Had Vanitas completely gone insane? Ven didn't understand.

Vanitas was struck by Terra again, smacked in the side. Blood pooled around that wound, but Vanitas did not halt. He jumped away from Terra, baring his teeth, and he jumped up. Terra shook his head and slammed the blunt side of his Keyblade against Vanitas's chest, pushing him away. Ven squinted at Vanitas, raising his spear.

The movement did not go unnoticed, and the boy turned. He looked at Ven, his eyes twinkling madly. Then he sprung forward, his injuries doing nothing to slow him down, and he reached for Ven with his arms outstretched. Ven dodged, jumped to the side, but Vanitas was aware of his movements, and he grabbed his sleeve, dragging him to the ground as he dropped to his knees. Ven yelped as the boy's hands wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air supply. He rasped, clutching his spear tightly as the boy squeezed his throat.

Terra called out, his heavy footsteps vibrating the floor beneath him. Ven's eyes widened. Would Terra kill Vanitas? He couldn't let that happen! Vanitas had to stop this! Ven squirmed, gasping for breath, and he twisted himself to the side, squeezing his eyes shut.

A gut wrenching _shlunk _made his eyes snap open. He looked up fearfully, and he was greeted with a shocked face, mouth agape and eyes watering. A droplet of blood plopped onto Ven's cheek, sliding downward like a tear. Ven squeaked, his mind going numb. No way… he couldn't have…

But he had. Vanitas fell onto his side, his eyes never leaving Ven's. Ven cried out and sat up, running his hands through his hair. "Oh, no!" he gasped, shaking his head. "No, no! I didn't mean to…" Ven swallowed his words, slapping his hand over his mouth. He hadn't meant this!

Ven dove forward, his hand wrapping around the spear. He had to pull it out. He'd die if Ven didn't! Vanitas watched him, his eyes dulling with every passing second. His lips were curled upward into a small smile.

Before Ven could pull out the lance from Vanitas's gut, he was tackled to the floor. Ven struggled, and fought at Terra, his eyes widening as Terra dragged him away from Vanitas's bloody body. "No! Terra, we have to help him!"

"You can't pull it out, Ven!" Terra cried, spinning the blond around so he was facing him. He squeezed Ven's shoulders, his own eyes wide. "He'll bleed to death, you idiot!"

Ven stared at Terra, his eyes widening even more. "Oh," he gasped, covering his mouth with his hand again, his eyes beginning to water as his chest ached with guilt. "Oh… but…"

"We can't help!" Terra shook his head. "I can't heal well, and… you…"

"I can't heal at all," Ven croaked, a tear running down his cheek. No. He couldn't be a killer. Not after all this. Not after his revelation that murdering was never the answer, that death could always be avoided!

The sound of clapping made Ven's and Terra's heads snap up. Ven felt his blood run cold, and Terra's hands slipped from Ven's shoulders. Ven's mouth dropped into a gape.

"But…" Ven gasped, shakily raising a finger to point. "I just…"

"Well done!" the masked boy cried jubilantly, clapping his gloved hands as he cocked his head to the side. His dark tinted mask reflected Ven's shocked, terrified face, tear streaked face. "You totally did him in. I'm proud, Ventus. I thought you were just an extra. A tool not even worse using. But this proves you have potential."

"Vanitas…" Terra whispered, rising to his feet, his own shock turning into fury as his body began to tremble, and his hands locked into fists.

"Ah, Terra." Vanitas's head turned toward the man. "It's nice to see you too. Have you seen Aqua? She doesn't seem to be here." He sighed and scanned the hall. "Pity that."

Terra growled, and Ven felt more and more confused. He blinked slowly, his breath becoming shaky as he spoke. "Wait," Ven whispered. "If… if you're here, who did I…" his head turned toward where they'd left Vanitas. Ven hoped for nothing, that it'd all been a trick.

But it hadn't.

The boy was curled up in a ball, his body trembling as if he were cold. He was still watching Ven, is blue eyes wide, and a smile still fresh on his face. He didn't look like Vanitas anymore. His face was much kinder, and friendlier. His brown hair framed his face in an array of messy spikes, and Ven knew he'd done much worse than impaling Vanitas.

He'd impaled Sora.

* * *

_This is what I'd like to call UNFORTUNATE._

_Anyone see that coming? Anyone? Raise of hands!_

_Next chapter drops a few 'fucks' so be warned. I just felt like making Vanitas swear a whole lot. Heh._

_So, NaNo's alright, I have like, eight thousand words left to go, and I just feel a little hopeless with that. I'm gonna try, though. I really need to win this damn thing._

_Ugh. I don't even know what to rant about this time. Next chapter was fun to write. See you soon, hopefully in less than a few weeks! THIS THING WILL END._

_Next chapter: Paroxysm_

_LOL. You guys realize I never really show you the best parts of the next chapter, right? He he. I alter the previews sometimes so they don't feature spoilers. Whoo._

_FOUR AM= SLEEPY TIME._

* * *

"Stop what?" Vanitas snorted. "Stop speaking the complete and utter truth? Man up, you little shit!" Vanitas tossed Ven back across the room, and the boy slid across the floor.


	78. Paroxysm

**White Knight: Seventy Eight :Paroxysm**

"Sora…" Ventus whispered. "No… I… I didn't…"

"You _did_!" Vanitas laughed, throwing his helmeted head back. "Oh, gosh, that was great. You didn't even mean it, either! That's gotta suck!"

"Vanitas!" Terra screamed, readying his Keyblade. "How did this happen? Why did he look like you?"

"Um," said Vanitas, tilting his head. "Man. That's such a long story. Well, it all started one day in a lab, back a few years ago, when some stupid people decided to whip up a batch of semi-clone people to wield their awesome powers, and oops, they got me." Vanitas shrugged. "Uh, Sora's the person I came out of. It's messed up."

"I didn't mean… I meant why was his hair black, and his eyes gold? How did that happen? What did you do to him?" Terra looked angry. Very, very angry. Ven was surprised the man was restraining himself from attacking Vanitas.

"I didn't touch that bastard," Vanitas said, raising his hands in defense. "Don't point fingers at me, alright?"

"How'd he get like that, then?" Terra hissed, raising his Keyblade. "I don't suppose he just woke up this morning with a bad case of Vanitas syndrome."

Vanitas chuckled. "Man, you're being funny for someone who just beat the crap out of an innocent kid. I mean, the bastard is a bastard, but I'm pretty sure as far as records go, yours is far worse than his."

Ventus stiffened and stared up at Vanitas. He felt useless. His weapon was stuck inside the dying boy beside him, and he had no idea what to do. He stared down at Sora and shook his head. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I didn't know."

Sora smiled back at him.

"How the hell did this happen, Vanitas?" Terra cried, his teeth gritting. "It was Master Xehanort, wasn't it? What did he do?"

Vanitas sighed, tilting his head up. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

And Vanitas then stepped away from the doorway. The shield of darkness surrounding the entry dispersed, leaving it open, and clear as day. Ventus blinked as he peered into the room, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. A boy stepped into the hall, his long silver hair gleaming in the stray rays of sunshine streaming from the windows. He was wearing all black, and his hands were in his pockets as he cocked his head to the side, a smirk rising to his lips.

"Hello, Terra," the boy said, his voice low, and his eyes golden.

Terra stared at him blankly, lowering his Keyblade slowly, and his eyebrows knitted together in absolute confusion. The boy's smirk turned into a small, rather disturbing grin as he stepped forward, his hands still in his pockets.

"Riku…?"

* * *

"Riku's a strange name," the tiny girl noted as she calmly braided the boy's long, silky silver hair. "I like it, though. It's… it's pretty."

"Um," Riku said, shifting awkwardly. He wasn't sure how she remembered how to braid hair, but didn't remember his name, but whatever. She seemed to be enjoying herself, and staying pretty sane, which was good. "It's not really supposed to be pretty, but thanks."

"You're welcome," she said softly, her fingers flitting quickly against the strands of fine silvery hair. She was very happy when he accepted her offer to braid his hair, and she was actually having quite a blast doing it. She liked braiding hair. She hoped to try it on herself soon. It looked pretty nice on the silver haired boy, so it would probably look nice on her too, right? She hoped so.

The fire around them was still burning ferociously. She was beginning to get worried, as was her silver hair friend. He kept fidgeting. "Riku, what did you say my name was, again?"

Riku turned his head a little as she pulled the bent and wilted flower from her hair and tied the stem around the braid to hold the hair in place. He stared at her, looking a little sad. "It's Naminé," Riku said slowly. "Your name is Naminé."

"Wow…" Naminé said, letting her hands drop into her lap. "How did I… forget that?"

"I don't know."

"It sounds right though," she said with a small smile. "That's my name. I just wish it would stick in my head."

"Well, my name stuck, right?"

"Yes!" Naminé grinned as he turned slowly, resting his hands on the pavement. "Riku!"

"Yep."

"I'm happy," she giggled, the fire around them spiking, and the world flashed blue for a moment, reflecting the ecstasy in her eyes. The world turned red again in a moment, and she blinked quickly, turning to stare at the fire. She looked confused.

Riku peered down at her, realizing she must have noticed the world turn blue. "You realize this world we're in… it's connected to you."

"What?" She jumped, looking up at him with wide eyes. "What does _that_ mean?"

Riku sighed, running his fingers against his new braid. "Well…" he said slowly, glancing at her as she stared at the fire, a little fearful. "It means that… you can control everything around here. But you don't know how."

Naminé stared up at him, her blue eyes shining as she digested his words. "Well," she gasped, leaned way forward, slapping her hands onto the asphalt, "how do I learn?"

Riku blinked, slowly moving himself backwards as he felt his personal bubble get a little cramped. "Um," Riku said watching her as she gave him a look that suggested she was desperate. "I don't really know, Naminé. I've noticed everything gets a lot calmer when you're happy, but that's about it…"

"So…" Naminé glanced up at the sky, frowning. "If I get happy… really, really happy… I can make all of this go away?"

"Maybe…" Riku said quietly, shrugging a little. "It's only a theory, Naminé, I have no idea if it will work."

Naminé jumped to her feet. "We have to try!" she shouted, her soft features contorting as she got angrier. "You said we're trapped here. I want to get out, and so do you. If I can get us out of here, then help me."

"I've been trying to," Riku said with a sigh. "Jeez, Naminé, I've been doing this for like, an hour. Testing out different emotions on you to see how they affect this world."

Naminé blinked, and shifted from foot to foot, looking suddenly embarrassed. She slowly sat down, straightening out her bloody dress. "And?" she asked, looking up at Riku.

"And nothing." He shrugged. "Nothing has really worked. You turned the world blue once, and that was kind of the biggest change. And it didn't last."

Naminé glanced toward the fire that raged outside their sanctuary, roaring and flickering in the wind of the screwed up world around them. The sky churned, and boiled, blood red and sizzling as the sun collapsed onto itself, creating a star spinning around and around itself, slowly devouring its own being. She wondered what would happen when the sun was gone. What would the two of them do? How would they survive? Simple answer would be they wouldn't.

But Naminé didn't want that.

She stepped forward and, much to Riku's discomfort, grabbed his hands and stared up at him, her eyes wide and pleading. "Please," she gasped, squeezing his hands tightly. "Help me! Try a little harder! If I can… If I can help us get out of here, I want to. I want to help!"

Riku stepped back, his mouth opening slowly in a gape. "Naminé…" he said, his eyes meeting hers, the vibrance of her gaze catching him off guard.

"I'm serious," the girl said, her voice level and her eyes sparkling. "I don't know what's happening, Riku, and… I'm really, really scared." She shook her head and lifted one hand to her chest, pressing it against her heart. "But you just said… I can change this. I can fix it!"

"Look, calm down," Riku said, shaking his head. "I have no idea what will happen. I was just trying to get a response from you before. And like I said, I didn't get much. Naminé, you could easily make everything _worse_ if we're not careful!"

Naminé stared up at him, her fingers tightening around his hands. Her eyes widened, and she swallowed hard, looking down at their hands. "I…" she whispered, "I don't care, Riku. I need to wake up."

Riku took a deep breath, his eyes flickering to the massive fire churning and blazing outside, the flames licking the barrier holding the duo into the playground. He tried to keep his thoughts from running wild, but he had to wonder what exactly the girl had in mind. She had no idea about anything, and yet she was trying to figure out some way to save them. He admired her immensely, actually, but he wasn't sure if it would help him very much. Sure, she could probably break away and save herself, but Riku had nowhere to go. His body was occupied.

"Out of curiosity," Riku said slowly, his eyebrows furrowing. "What do you mean by… you need to wake up?"

Naminé blinked, and she opened her mouth. She did not speak, however, her eyes widening. She shook her head. "I… really don't know," she said, looking up at the crimson stained sky. "I just… feel like I need to… wake up?"

Riku stared down at her, before nodding slowly. "Okay, I guess." He pulled his hands from hers and smiled gently. "Well, I don't have much to loose, I guess. And you know, dying would be a really unfortunate, wouldn't it?"

Naminé's eyes brightened, and she nodded quickly, a smile spreading across her face. "Thank you!" she gasped, stepping toward him. "You'll really help?"

"Of course, Naminé," Riku said, nodding slowly. "I've been trying to get you to think sanely for a while now."

"Okay," she said, staring up at him, her smile slipping from her lips. "Let's start."

* * *

"Alright," Aqua whispered as they marched toward the wall, their group larger than she expected. It seemed that everyone wanted to take part in bringing down the walls. This was history in the making, wasn't it? The walls hadn't really been there all that long, but they were there long enough to make an impact on the lives of the people around them.

"You ready for this?" Lightning asked from beside her as they hiked up a hill. Aqua swallowed. She thought she was, but now she was having some second thoughts.

"Yeah," she said quietly, though she knew that was kind of a lie. "I'm just worried, I guess."

Lightning gave a soft noise, like a snort. "That's entirely unsurprising," she said, pulling her gun blade from its hilt as they came within yards of the wall. Aqua took a deep breath as it towered over them, the threatening barricade the kept her locked inside this dreadful place for so many years. She thought about it long and hard, how her whole life seemed to be a mess of worrying. Worrying about dying at the hands of the master, worrying about getting caught using magic, worrying about getting caught having a Keyblade, worrying about Terra getting killed, worrying about Terra killing people, worrying about Ven making the same mistakes she and Terra did…

The group had introduced each of themselves to her back in the bar under Lightning's orders, and told her the kind of weaponry they specialized in. There was Lightning and Hope, gunblade and rifle respectively, then there was Aerith who fought with a staff, Snow, who actually had no preferred weapon. Aqua did not find this very surprising, considering how massive the blond man was. Barret had a gun in his arm, Vincent had a normal gun, Yuffie had a… well, as Aqua looked at it more, strapped to the tiny girl's back, it looked a bit like a gigantic, incredibly sharp star. Rikku, a girl with quite a lot of braids in her blonde hair, used daggers, Tifa, like Snow, used her bare fists, Cid and Fang used spears…

Well, looking around at all of them, they seemed to know what they were getting themselves into. Otherwise they wouldn't have joined in. Aqua stepped forward, raising her hand and summoning her Keyblade. It appeared in a gentle flash of light, and Aqua looked up at the clear morning sky, tossing her blade into the air. The group stared at it, slightly awed, as it came back down, swooping toward Aqua. It was now a glider, and as it passed her, she leapt onto it, rearing it back and lowering it slowly so the guards would not see. She looked down at the group, and she noticed how about half of them were in awe, and the other half were basically picking their fingernails out of boredom. Aqua lowered her rider about halfway down the wall before pressing her fingers against the cool stone. As she thought out the spell, it reached her fingertips in a heart beat, and she pushed her glider forward, tapping her fingers along the wall, creating several horizontal, spiraling circles.

She looked down at Hope, who was already readying his rifle. Lightning was standing very close to him, her fingers tight around the hilt of her blade. She looked ready to slash the first guard who walked up to her in half, and Aqua had no doubt she'd do it. Aqua moved her glider upward, carefully flying over the wall and over the strip between the two regions. She took a deep breath, the cool wind blowing into her face, nipping her skin, her cropped blue hair whipping around her head, and her skirt billowing around her legs.

After she swept down, gently doing the same thing as she did with the other wall— quickly tapping it so to get the mines to show up— she flew back over to the group of rebels standing by the wall. Hope looked ready to fire. Aqua shook her head at him and jerked her head up, a gesture for him to move back. He blinked, and backed up, pushing the rest of the rebels with him. Aqua flew forward so she was directly over Hope, who had his finger around the trigger, and was ready to fire.

Aqua squinted at the wall, her heart thudding in her chest. She had no idea if this would work or not. She could only hope and beg that she was doing the right thing, that this was best for everyone. The wall had to come down. And they would bring it down with as big a bang as then could manage. Aqua looked down at Hope, who was staring at the wall, his eyes squinting, as if he was trying to make sure he'd get a perfect shot.

"Everyone," Aqua said, loudly and clearly. The group of rebels looked up at her. "Get ready to run like hell, okay?"

Rikku cheered, and Yuffie joined in, and Snow whooped, and Lightning punched him in the chest, sending him back a step or two. Aqua lowered her rider so she was directly beside Hope. He did not look at her. His only focus was on the wall and the mines running horizontally across it. Aqua took a deep breath.

"Fire," she whispered to him, her voice carrying with the wind like a sigh. It was enough for him to hear, and he squeezed the trigger.

Immediately the shots rang out, five of them nearly at once, and one by one, very quickly, there was a mighty clang. The mines exploded with a giant force, and fire spread out, flaring around them as if a dragon had leapt from the heavens, perched itself atop the wall, and breathed a plume of fire out towards the rebels. The rebels had been ready for an explosion of course, but nothing prepared them for something quite like this. The fire swept toward them, riding the wind, and Aqua zipped forward so she was directly over the front of the group. She stood up on her glider as the fire came barreling toward them, and she rose her hand, striking the air above her with a slap that clapped like thunder, sending a wave pulsing around the rebels as the fire engulf them.

* * *

"Not quite," Riku said, tilting his chin up as he stepped around Terra, his hair billowing backwards as he walked. "You really are quite stupid, aren't you, my boy?"

Terra blinked at his cousin as he circled him, his mouth dropping open in confusion. Terra really had no idea what was going on, or what Riku was talking about. So Terra stood there, feeling blood rush to his face as he realized his words were true, that he was a total idiot. "Uh," Terra said slowly, blinking at the silver haired boy. "What's wrong with you, Riku?"

Riku groaned, halting in front of Terra, his hands raising into the air. "Obviously you're too dumb to live," Riku said with a dry chuckle. "I can arrange that, you know."

"Okay," Terra said, raising his hands. "What the hell, Riku? Now's not the time to be losing your fricking mind, alright?"

"You are such an idiot," Vanitas barked, his laughter sharp, and almost sounding like it was filled with rage. It was an odd sound.

Ven was kneeling next to Sora, his hands on his shoulders, his eyes wide as he stared at Riku. Ven saw what Terra did not. He could see the gleam in Riku's eyes, and he knew how screwed they were. Xehanort was stronger now. A lot stronger. "Oh shit…" he whispered, squeezing Sora's shoulders as panic clenched his stomach. There was a fight so close, Ven could already taste the blood, and now the odds were completely against them. Terra was on his own again Vanitas and Xehanort because Ven's spear was stuck in Sora, who was pretty much just hanging out, waiting to die.

"You can heal yourself," Ven gasped, looking down at Sora, "can't you?"

Sora coughed a little, nodding slowly. "It won't…" he said softly, his eyes drooping. "Be enough…"

"Shit," Ven hissed, staring at the ceiling. "No way. This is not freaking happening. No."

"Calm down," Sora laughed wetly, a bit of blood splattering onto Ven's face. "Just… ick, just… uh… put me against the wall…"

Ven blinked and nodded quickly, half listening to Riku as he spoke.

"Let's just put an end to this, Terra," the boy said, his voice icy. "Once and for all, your pestering will be silenced!"

Terra stepped back, raising his Keyblade as Riku zipped forward, jumping up and summoning a silver Keyblade, one that was obviously not his, and he slashed it down. Terra cried out jumping back as the blade nicked his cheek, sending blood spilling down toward his chin. Terra gaped as the boy rose his blade, a blade Terra recognized well, and he swept it forward. Terra rose his hand into the air just in time for the teeth of the Keyblade to screech against the surface of Terra's shield. Terra jumped back, his eyes wide with horror as it struck him _finally_.

"Xehanort…"

"Surprise, nephew," the Master smirked, his golden eyes narrowing.

Ven stared, his eyes widening and flickering to Vanitas, who was too busy watching the show to really focus on him at the moment. Ven took a deep breath, wrapping his hands around the spear. He stared down at Sora, who was watching him with a silly smile on his lips, his face streaked with tears. Ven shook his head, his grip on the spear tightening. "Are you ready, Sora?" he asked softly, trying to buy as much time as he had with Vanitas.

"Just count to three," the boy rasped, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'll be fine."

Ven let out a shaky breath. He wanted to believe that, but he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure at all. But he gripped the spear and stared down at Sora, nodding quickly.

"One," he whispered, glancing at Vanitas, who still had not noticed them. "Two."

"Wait!" Sora gasped, his hand shooting out, grasping Ven's wrist. Ven stared at the boy. He shook his head, giving the boy a questioning stare.

"What?" Ven asked, gaping.

"I…" the boy coughed, grasping Ven's wrist. "Kairi. Ven, if I… if I don't… just… find Kairi for me. Tell… tell her…" Blood dribbled from his mouth as his fingers slid from Ven's list.

"Sora?" Ven asked fearfully as the boy's arm fell limp beside him. "Sora!" Ven let go of the spear and shook the boy furiously. Ven felt tears spring onto his cheeks as he stared down at the boy, not sure what to do anymore. And as he continued to stare at Sora, he stifled a sob as the boy's eyes fell blank, and glossed over like the sky on a rainy day.

But he had not time to mourn. Ven cried out as he was yanked violently from Sora's dead body, and flung across the hall, hitting the other wall with a hard thump. Ven felt dizzy as he slip to the floor, stars clouding his vision. His mind had exploded. Memories were pouring out everywhere, things he couldn't recall at all replaying like flickering old moving pictures in his mind. They were all about Sora. Sora had been there, like a second brother, really, truly, and Ven and he… they had been buds. Best buds. They had been total airheads together through thick and thin, while Roxas and Kairi ended up being the brainy ones. It was… this was…

Ven grunted as he was picked up by the collar and slammed against the wall. Ven could see his face staring back at him, pale, and afraid, blood smeared across his features in the darkness of the helmet. Ven was trembling, his head pounding for the overload of memories flooding his brain. Vanitas scoffed softly, squeezing Ven's neck as he leaned forward.

"You know," the masked boy said, "that was mighty rotten of you, shoving that spear into Sora. I thought _I_ hated him, but you know, I don't think I could have done it quite like that." Vanitas threw his head back , howling with laughter. "Bravo, idiot, brav-fucking-o."

Ven's lips trembled as the boy's words sunk in, as it hit him, that he'd just killed one of his friends. One of his oldest friends. Ven shook his head as he looked up at Vanitas, teary eyed. Vanitas snorted.

"You're so weak," the boy hissed. "Stupid little Ventus. Always fucking things up. Oh, the idiot knight trying to save his pyscho-bitch princess!" The boy threw his head back, laughing cruelly at Ven. "You can't even safe her from her own disastrous self! What the hell are you good for? You can't do anything! You're a weak, pathetic piece of shit on my shoe!" Ven cringed, his heart pounding as every insult hit home, striking him like a hammer to the mouth. Ven suspected Vanitas would have spat at him if it was not for the helmet.

"I…" Ven gasped, blinking slowly. He'd just killed Sora. _He'd just killed Sora_.

"If that's not even fucking enough," Vanitas continued, shaking his head. "You're the reason for all the girl's fucking problems! She'd be completely insane and happy if you had just kept you goddamn mouth _shut_. You totally screwed everything up for everyone!"

"Stop it…" Ven gasped, moving his feet slowly, trying to wriggle out of Vanitas's grasp.

"Stop what?" Vanitas snorted. "Stop speaking the complete and utter truth? Man up, you little shit!" Vanitas tossed Ven back across the room, and the boy slid across the floor, bumping into Sora's lifeless body. Ven stared at the dead boy, tears returning to his eyes. Vanitas was going to kill him. He'd be with Sora, then, he guessed, and it would be… what? Ven had no idea. He didn't know how death worked. But he was scared, so, so scared, and he knew he had no chance of winning this battle.

Vanitas's footsteps grew louder. Ven stared at Sora, the boy's last words echoing in his head. Ven's mouth dropped open, and he brought himself to his knees. He couldn't die here. He was going to make up for this. He wouldn't let Sora's death be the end. Because… Sora wanted him to find Kairi. To tell her something. He didn't know what, but he was going to find her. He had to.

Ven gasped as he was kicked hard in the stomach and pulled up, carelessly tossed across the room a_gain._ He his the door this time, and fell to the ground with a thump. Vanitas laughed, the cold, empty sound tearing through Ven's mind, breaking through all the memories and smashing them into little bits. Because they didn't matter anymore. They were just memories. This was _now_. Sora was dead _now_, and there was nothing he could do about it. But he could still fight.

"Jeez," Vanitas said, his condescending voice scratching at Ven's ears. "You really are as pathetic as a thought. You're utterly useless! Talk about extra baggage, how the hell have you stayed alive this long?"

Ven took a deep breath, pushing himself slowly to his feet. Vanitas stopped in front of him, cocking head to the side. "Oh, you're getting up? Now that's a fucking surprise."

Ven breathed heavily, the sound of Terra's battle rushing through his head as he glared at the ground, his determination growing, and growing with every passing thought. Ven was going to win. He believed it. This was going to happen. He would get out of here and find Kairi, and tell her. And… he believed that eventually he could come to terms with the fact that he had killed one of his friends. It hadn't exactly been his fault, despite it… being his fault…

Ven shrugged it off, glaring up at Vanitas as he felt something stir deep in his heart. Something unraveled, and broke, and suddenly Ven felt kind of… powerful. And for the first time since continuously telling himself he could win, he actually felt it in his heart. He could and would do it. Ven glared at the ground, his teeth grinding against one another as he felt almost as if he was in flight.

Ven's fingers twitched as they began to glow bright white, and Ven smiled a little to himself. He lifted his head high, glowering at Vanitas as the boy stood still and silent for once. Ven shook his head, twirling his new (or rather, old) Keyblade in his left hand, the warmth it gave him so reassuring, though still he felt all of his sadness. Ven's eyes narrowed at Vanitas, and the boy stepped forward, breaking into a dash as he skidded around Vanitas, slashing his Keyblade against his strange dark, tight fitting suit.

Vanitas stumbled away from Ven, clutching his now bleeding arm. Ven was sure the boy was wide eyed.

"Now," Ven growled, his anger from watching Sora die becoming immense, "_that's _a fucking surprise."

* * *

_First and foremost, all of the 'fucks'? I apologize. But honestly, who cares around here anyway? That word just always applies, and teenagers speak like this. At least the people I know do._

_Next I would like to apologize for killing Sora. But I loved writing his death, so basically no regrets here. =P Expect more deaths in the near future. Not next chapter. But we shall see._

_What Sora wanted Ven to tell Kairi? Yeah, just guess. It's really not that hard._

_This will probably be the last time I ever drop the cluster of FUUUUUUUU-s in this story, so yeah, eat it up. Eat everything up actually. _

_Oh my god. I actually have to start thinking about my plans after this story. Shit. Well, I have Celandines, and the Riddler story I'm writing with Angie. But I need something Kingdom Hearts to keep me in the fandom so I don't drop out like Angel did._

_Whatever, I'll figure it out. Hopefully that story won't be as convoluted as this one._

_I'd like to make it clear that I never intended on killing off Sora. It just happened. I mean, I felt like it. I didn't plan on it until the moment I wrote it, so, yeah, it was a last minute detail._

_It's three thirty, guys, I'm going to sleep. Drop a review and reprimand me if you'd like._

_Next chapter: The Angel's Storm_

* * *

"You know what? Screw you! You don't know me, asshole! You think you can guess who I am, but you're piss wrong, and as far away from the truth as a little shit like you can get!"


	79. The Angel's Storm

**White Knight: Seventy Nine :The Angel's Storm**

Vanitas did not stay shocked for long. It appeared as if he didn't know how to stay shocked for longer than a few moments or so. Maybe he thought it a weakness that had to be quelled, maybe he simply just got over things quickly. It did not matter, because he was laughing now, dodging Ven's next attack with ease, though Ven did come rather close to hitting him again. Ven stood still for a moment as he listened to the clashing of Keyblades from a little ways down the hallway. Terra and Riku… or rather, Xehanort, were battling like no one had ever battled before, tossing magic and brute strength around like it was an act of dribbling a ball. They jumped and skidded, Xehanort rather graceful, and light on his feet, while Terra trampled through everything in his path to try and get to the man. It was fascinating and terrifying to watch.

"Wow," Vanitas said, his freakish laugh still ripe in his throat. "You actually did it. Well, shit, can't say I expected it." The boy rolled his shoulders, his foot moving back as he rose his arm up, arching it above his head, a whirl of darkness surrounding his hand as he got into a fighting stance. "I'd think your heart would've been crushed from just killing someone."

"Sora was a good guy," Ven growled, his arm raising with his Keyblade just incase Vanitas decided to go for the surprise attack option. "Why would you do that to him?"

Vanitas laughed again, long and hysterical, throwing his head back gently. "Jeez, kid, you seriously don't get it!" Vanitas tapped his helmet gently, hunching his shoulders as if he was about to pounce, like a humanoid jungle cat. "I don't care if that little bastard was a 'good guy', or not, okay? He's the reason I exist." Vanitas paused, his grip tightening around his Keyblade as he stepped forward, drawing it back as if to strike. He said in a low, growling voice, "And I loathe him for that."

Ven stared at Vanitas blankly, not sure how to react to hearing this. He hated Sora because he _came_ from Sora? That made zero sense at all! Ven yelped and dropped to the ground, rolling to the side as a burst of Darkness shot from Vanitas's Keyblade and zoomed over Ven's head. Ven jumped up onto one of the many jagged, raised pieces of Earth that Xehanort had created to fight against Terra. The way things were shaping up, the Light Region mansion was turning into quite the stunning battle ground.

"What do you mean?" Ven asked, pushing himself off the raised platform of earth quickly, jumping into the air as the ever familiar hiss and crackle of lightning magic tingled Ven's senses, screaming at him to move upward. He landed a few feet toward the door, skidding his feet to a stop as he rose his arm, Vanitas's blade simply crashing against Ven's strange Keyblade. It was an easy block. "Vanitas, why do you hate him so much? It's like hating a part of yourself!"

"He's weak," Vanitas snapped, spinning to the side as Ven parried, his blade coming close to the boy's shoulder. "I'm not him, and he's not me. You couldn't possibly understand something like this."

Ven stared at Vanitas as he blocked another attack with his Keyblade, avoiding a kick to the chest by flinging himself backwards, nearly toppling onto his bum. Ven caught himself, grunting as Vanitas kneed him in the stomach and smacked him hard with his blade, sending pain shooting through Ven's torso, and causing him to fly backwards through the open doors, crashing and rolling away on the marble tile. Ven coughed, his hand moving quickly toward his stomach. There was a bit of blood growing around the center of his white button down, but it wasn't enough to keep him down, or even immobilized for long. The thing was, today Ventus meant business, and he would not allow injuries to get in the way of that.

So Ven scrambled to his feet, wincing and clutching his stomach, raising his Keyblade again as Vanitas came down on him like a vulture on scraps of left over meat. Ven stared into the depths of the dark tinted visor, no longer angry, but rather simply curious about the boy. Sure, Ven was pissed to the max about what happened to Sora, but he kind of just pegged it as being Xehanort's fault. Somehow, Ven just couldn't imagine Vanitas caring much right now about killing Sora, no matter how much he did hate him.

"I understand a lot," Ven said, his voice steady as he pressed his hand hard against his bleeding stomach. "I know that you're upset, but you hide it behind your snarky attitude and apathy. You just want to be as far from humanity as possible so you don't have to feel anything. You don't want to be human, because you're disgusted with how inhuman you are—" Ven was cut off as Vanitas rose his Keyblade, swinging it down like he was an executioner at Ven's head. Luckily Ven had been expecting this, egging it on, really, and he easily swept to the side as the teeth of Vanitas's blade smacked into the marble tiling and it caved beneath the weight with an earsplitting _crack_. Vanitas's shoulder were trembling slightly, most likely in anger. Ven was doing this right.

"Wow," Ven said with a short laugh as Vanitas spun around the face him, moving forward lithely, jumping up to attack. Ven dodged easily, blinking as the boy froze, suspended in midair. A sharp pain in his back that made Ven stumble forward made it clear. Vanitas was actually right behind him, and the Vanitas floating in the air disappeared once Ven blinked. Ven turned quick, and spun his Keyblade in hand, letting it clash against Vanitas's. "I really hit that nail right on the head, huh? Bet'cha didn't expect a nobody like me to figure something like that."

Vanitas growled as he swung his leg up to kick Ven, "You think you know me, shitface?" Ven ducked into a roll, bringing himself back up behind Vanitas. "You know nothing about me! Making those shitty assumptions is so amateur, you've got no skill in manipulation!"

"Thing is," Ven laughed again, stepping to the side as the soft crackle of lightning filled his ears, and the bolts zoomed past him. "I'm not trying to manipulate you, Vanitas. Funny thing, right?" Ven took a deep breath. "Though, I'm not even done."

"Well, shut your goddamn mouth, runt!" Vanitas swept forward, his Keyblade lashing out, but Ven was much to quick, even with his injuries. Ven managed to swipe him fast and hard at the ribs, causing the boy to stumble back, and the thick organic looking suit of his to tear audibly and visibly, his skin exposed, and bloody.

"See, Vanitas," Ven said, completely serious, and as honest as he could be, as he was just making assumptions. "I think you hate Sora because he's the better person. I mean, it must really suck to live in the shadow of a guy who's so nice, and happy, and caring, and let's face it, Vanitas, you are none of those things."

Vanitas snorted, and shook his head, stepping back into his fighting stance as he clenched his fists. "You know what? Screw you! You don't know me, asshole! You think you can guess who I am, but you're piss wrong, and as far away from the truth as a little shit like you can get!"

Ven smiled, shifting back into his own fighting position. "I'm not stupid enough to assume I know you." Ven shrugged, his stomach and back stinging from being slashed with Vanitas's blade. "I'm just telling you what I think. Your reactions just kind of… confirm it."

"Tch." Vanitas leaned back on his heels, a sphere of darkness appearing in his palm. "You're crazy," the boy snarled, tossing the sphere Ven's way. Ven slid carefully out of the way, narrowly missing the sphere, which zoomed past him and hit one of the thrones behind him. Ven grinned at the masked boy and gave him a weak thumbs up (or rather thumb, since his other one was occupied).

"Not as crazy as you," Ven said with a small shrug, "but hey, I'm getting there."

Ven found himself wondering how he was even joking while all of this was happening. Sora was dead, and it was Ven's fault, and now he was basically fighting to the death with a psychopath that he didn't even know well at all (despite all of Ven's guessing), yet he still had time to lighten the mood with his shitty humor? Ven had serious issues. Either that, or the way he dealt with grief was simply ridiculous.

Vanitas circled around Ven, his arm pulled back above his head, his feet moving slowly, as if he were waiting for Ven to make a move. Ven simply stood there, raising his blade in attempt to shield himself if Vanitas decided to come at _him_. It seemed like they were at a stalemate. Ven thought, _Wow, maybe we can actually settle this and not kill each other. Man, I'd like that. I really, really would. Cause, you know, for being a bit of a dick, this guy is pretty decent, and funny. And I don't really have a right to be judging people about having killed someone before, do I?_

But Vanitas was not the type of guy to forgive and forget, and he was still pissed about Ven's assumptions. So he stepped back and sent a volley of dark, fast moving trails of Darkness that looked as if they had been dipped in oil and then set aflame at the tail. The fire was black, of course. And Ven had no way of dodging the onslaught of Darkness raining from all angles, and so Ven tried to block.

It was completely impossible to block all of them, but he attempted it. He slashed through a few, and let one bounce off his Keyblade, but then he was slapped with about seven sharp, fiery bullets of Darkness, and sent flying back against the thrones, his head smacking against the back of one, and his Keyblade slipping from his fingers, clattering to the floor. Ven blinked slowly, dizzy and disoriented from the hit on the head, and he tried to bat the bright white dots from his vision.

It worked well enough, and he was up on his feet again in attempt to fight. Vanitas was watching without moving, again very still, waiting for Ven to strike back. At this rate, Ven was losing, and it was completely unsurprising. Vanitas was basically made to kill. Ven was scavenging what he could about fighting from long forgotten memories. The odds were against him, but it was not a total curb stomp battle. Ven was holding his ground. He'd landed a few hits. He knew he could do this.

He needed to find Kairi.

But Ven wasn't done with Vanitas yet. He wanted more than anything at the moment to befriend the boy, but… how could that happen, in all honesty? Vanitas was a bastard and a sadist, and he was obviously pissed with Ven because Ven had been kind of an asshole too. So no doubt this would be tricky. Ven wanted to try, though. He felt the obligation to.

"Vanitas, why are you doing this?" Ven held his bleeding stomach, stepping to the side, near the blackened wall. His shirt was torn and burnt from where the Darkness had hit him, and he could feel the blisters rising on his skin, bubbling up slowly and painfully.

Vanitas cocked his head to the side, twirling his Keyblade in hand. "Why not?" he snorted, grasping his blade firmly and drawing it back. "It's not like I care about any of you."

"But you care about Naminé, don't you?" Ven asked softly. "And you care about Aqua."

Ven had a feeling, by the way the boy's head jerked, that Vanitas was glaring at him through the tinted helmet. "You're making assumptions again," the boy said, his voice bitter. "They mean nothing to me. I honestly cannot express how much I do not care about any of you ignorant, annoying idiots."

Ven stared at Vanitas, his eyes widening. "But that's so not true!" he gasped, raising his Keyblade as Vanitas approached slowly. "I know you care about Aqua! She cares about you too, and you know it! Why waste a completely fine friendship?"

Vanitas laughed harshly, and arched his back, preparing to strike. "One thing is for sure," Vanitas said, his voice dripping with an odd sarcastic glee. "I most definitely did not care about our _friendship_."

Ven dove out of the way as the boy attacked, his blade swiping the air as Ven moved to strike back, their blades clanking against one another as they battled, parrying and stepping to avoid blows. It was like a very odd fencing match without any of the grace. Ven's quickness was matched with Vanitas's strength and magic. But even the boy who could run faster than hellfire could spread was no match for the Darkness Vanitas harbored. Perhaps it was because he had no training to fall back on, or perhaps it was simply because Vanitas was too strong for him. Either way, Ven knew he was going to loose this battle if he didn't do something about it.

"Um," Ven said confusedly, tipping his head. "Wait, what do you mean by that?"

Vanitas rolled his eyes and stepped forward, springing on the balls of his feet. Ven yelped and jumped back, his arm raising quick, and their blades clashing once more, sending sparked stinging into Ven's face. Ven jumped back, slipping to the side as Vanitas tailed him, sending more Darkness spurting from his Keyblade. Ven found himself doing more running than fighting as he moved around, quick to get Vanitas to stop attacking for a moment so he'd listen. But he'd probably have to injure him for that to happen.

So Ven swooped up behind the boy and struck him hard in the back, watching with fascination and horror as the boy was sent flying forward, slamming to the floor. Ven stared at him, his mouth dropping open as he spotted blood. Of course he had wounded Vanitas before, but this was crazy. They really were going to end up killing each other, and Ven didn't want that! He just wanted to find Kairi and tell her about what happened.

Even Naminé had to wait. The message to Kairi was much too important.

Ven stepped back as Vanitas pulled himself slowly to his feet. He spun around, and Ven winced, noticing that his helmet now had a jagged crack on its front, as if someone had whipped a rock at it. Ven stepped back a little more, swallowing hard. He repeated to himself over and over that he _had_ to make it out of this alive, but everything just seemed so… impossible. He had no idea what he was doing.

Despite this, he rose his Keyblade, giving Vanitas a weak smile as the boy readied himself to attack again.

"I really wish," Ven said softly as Vanitas sprang forward, "that our lives were different."

* * *

The barrier held well enough, though the heat was excruciating, and the bright red fire blinding. Aqua felt the heat sear through her sweater, and it felt as if her already exposed skin was burnt to a crisp. Aqua gritted her teeth, however, and stood her ground, putting more energy into keeping the shield up as the fire whooshed like a wave overhead. Over the roar of the flame, Aqua heard nothing but the thumping of her heart in her ears, and felt nothing but the extreme heat radiating from all directions, and the pressure adding onto that with her magic slowly failing against the huge fire.

But down below, Lightning was shouting directions.

"It'll burn out in a moment!" She squeezed Hope's shoulder as he attempted to shield his face with his arm. "When that moment comes, every needs to run, and I mean it!"

"Oh, man!" Yuffie screamed over the fire, which was dispersing. "This is the craziest thing we've ever done!"

"It's so fun!" Rikku shrieked, bolting forward as Aqua slumped a little, her barrier dropping completely. Yuffie was almost directly after her, but Hope was out first, his gun already at the ready. Yuffie had been dragged to a halt by Vincent, who was watching Hope go. The rest of the group moved like a stampede after him, and Vincent gently nudged the black haired girl forward, sending her sprinting.

"Rikku, get out of the way!" Yuffie cried, waving her arms. Rikku blinked and backtracked quickly, shoving herself back into the mini crowd as Hope aimed at the wall. His finger was on the trigger, ready to squeeze it and send everything into fiery turmoil again, but he was waiting. The rest of the group was waiting on him, looking around for guards. There was shouting from behind them, and when looking to inspect the damage, there was indeed a _huge_ part of the wall missing.

And then Aqua came zooming over head, not from behind them, but from the other side of the Light Region wall. Few were surprised, but it was still a sight to watch her drop from the sky, her skirt billowing as the wind flung her light blue hair upward. She landed softly on her feet, despite jumping from a great height, and her hair and skirt settled as she rose her arm, catching her Keyblade as it came spiraling towards her. She spun around to face Hope, smiling a little as she backed into the crowd.

"Your move," she whispered as she passed him. He took that as a confirmation that there was no one near the wall. So he took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger.

Aqua had a shield up already by the time the bullets reached the mines, but still, she had to squeeze her eyes shut to take the impact of it. She held her hands high, her muscles in her hands stiffening as she commanding the magic with her palms. She steadied herself as the blow came, sending debris and fire pounding against the shield, trying desperately to get into their little safe haven. Hope was the closest to the edge of the barrier, and he was stumbling back, trying to get as far away from the fire as possible.

The roar of fire deafened them, and for a moment they were all holding one another. Whether by the arm, or by the hand, or wrist, or shoulder. It didn't matter. Everyone was trying to comfort or be comforted. Aqua was the only one not holding on to someone, which was understandable, because the fire was still rushing overhead, tumbling and churning like a storm cloud.

And then it stopped. It was amazing how magic worked, but it stopped, nearly all at once, dispersing into smoke. Everyone went running, and they simply could not stop once they pushed through the Light Region walls. They ran and ran, weapons at hand, and grins on their faces, because they had _done_ it. They really did it! They had broken the walls. They were open, and freedom fell upon the group like a fluffy blanket as they realized they had just done what had seemed impossible for so long.

They only stopped running when they were cut off by a few familiar faces.

"MY PETS!" Rikku shrieked, breaking from the group and pouncing forward, enveloping one of the red headed twins in a bear hug. "You're alive!"

"Whoa," the red head with the ponytail said, patting her head. "Oh, hey! Ax', it's Rikku!"

"No," Axel said with a snort. "Really? Damn, Reno, I didn't notice at all."

Reno rolled his eyes, pulling away from Rikku, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Didn't expect you to be here," he said, tapping his EMR to his shoulder. "But, hey, we can use the help, if you're up for it."

"Uh," Rikku said, waving her arms. "That'd like, make my _life_! Just tell me what to do!" She placed a hand on her hip and faux saluted. "I'm your gal, Reno!"

"Um," Aqua whispered down to Hope. "How do they know each other?" Hope blinked up at her and shrugged.

"They met during a prison break," Lightning said, her arms folded across her chest as she watched the events unfold with meager interest.

"Wait," Axel said, looking upon the group, blinking slowly. "Oh, maaaan. You did it." The man whistled loud and slowly.

"You mean we brought down the walls?" Yuffie piped up, her gray eyes wide with glee. "_Oh yeah_, we did!" She cheered, elbowing the man next to her, who was looking incredibly irritated with her antics.

"Damn," Reno whistled as well, his green eyes flickering upward towards the smoke rising from the walls. There would certainly be guards appearing soon to add to their problems, but for now things seemed a little at peace.

"Okay," Aqua said, walking forward. "I'm gonna go, guys."

"What?" Hope gasped, grabbing her arm. "Alone?"

Aqua stared down at Hope, nodding slowly. "Hope," she said gently. "You can't come with me this time. This is Xehanort. You cannot fight him."

"And you think you stand a chance?" It was not meant to be doubt on her abilities. More like complete and utter worry. "All alone?"

"Ven, Terra, and Roxas are there," Aqua murmured, pulling her arm back. Hope dropped his hands, staring up at Aqua with an expression that resembled a wounded puppy. "I can't leave them, Hope. And I think I can do it."

"Kill Xehanort?" It was Lightning this time, her sharp, cool gaze startling Aqua. "Do you really believe you have the guts to do that?"

"Yes," Aqua said without skipping a beat, standing tall as she matched Lightning's gaze. Lightning rose an eyebrow at her in a questioning manner. "Lightning, I've been through a lot, not just in the past few months, but in my _entire life_. And Xehanort is the cause of all of it. All of my suffering started with him, and I want it to end with him."

"But," Lightning said, her chin raising and her eyes narrowing, "do you honestly think you can take your blade and use to stop someone's heart? It's not as easy as it looks."

"I know."

"And you're willing to face the consequences?"

Aqua's eyes flickered up at Lightning, her lips tugging into a frown as she felt herself growing wary. But she could not back down, even if she was unsure about whether her conscience could agree with it. "It's not just my suffering, Miss Lightning," Aqua said, her voice very soft as she stared at the woman. "We all have lost something dear because of Xehanort. Now I'm going to make sure he doesn't take anything else from us."

* * *

Ven gasped as he was kicking hard in the stomach, and slashed across the face with Vanitas's Keyblade. The boy saw stars as he was kicked across the room, bloody and aching, the toll he'd taken that day far too much. It was amazing his shirt wasn't completely torn to bits, what with all the injuries he's had in the last two hours or so. It felt like so much longer than that. Ven couldn't figure out how he was still fighting.

Slowly, with dizzied vision, Ven pushed himself up, his arms trembling. He could not die like this. He wasn't done fighting yet. He grappled for his Keyblade, blood dripping down his forehead and into his eyes, blinding him with crimson red. He blinked slowly, raising his shaky arm to rub the blood from his vision. Vanitas was standing there, watching, maybe waiting. Ven wasn't sure. He wanted to end this, but he had a feeling if he fought for much longer, he'd reach his breaking point.

Also, Vanitas was healing himself when need be. Ven had no clue how to conjure up that kind of power. So he was stuck with all of his injuries while Vanitas was brushing off the ones Ven gave him like they were pinches. Ven took a deep breath and started forward, his legs carrying fast enough to meet Vanitas's Keyblade with an almighty clash. Ven let out a small, shaky breath, and Vanitas's half visible right eye blinked at him.

"I'll hand it to you," the boy said snidely. "You're probably the most stubborn idiot I've ever met. You can take that as a compliment."

"Thanks," Ven coughed, his fist tightening around the hilt of his blade, and Ven rose his other arm, pressing it against the shaft of the blade to reinforce it. "I'm going to take it as a one."

"Nice," Vanitas said, his one visible eye rolling. "But seriously, man. If you just stay down, I might not have to kill you."

Ven shook his head, swallowing blood. "I can't," the boy rasped. "I have to beat you. I have to go find Kairi and Naminé!"

Vanitas paused, his one golden eye boring into Ven's skin like a white hot knife, stinging like poison. Vanitas pulled back, his Keyblade lowering ever so slightly. "You don't seem to be worrying about Xion, though," the boy said, his voice dark. Ven blinked up at the boy, his mouth opening.

"Wait… what—" Ven grunted as Vanitas's blade connected his Ven's shoulder, and Ven screamed, feeling the teeth of the Keyblade dig into his flesh and tear at it until it reached bone. Ven stumbled back, his arm raising to grasp his bleeding shoulder, but Vanitas had smacked the arm with the blunt edge of the Keyblade. He slashed downwards, nicking Ven's lip and chin before smacking Ven in the chest. Ven was sent flying backwards, his back connecting hard with the wall, and he crumpled to the ground. His Keyblade blinked away into the void, no longer useful when its owner was no longer able to wield it.

Vanitas stared at the boy's immobile form for a moment, finding himself torn between relief and irritation. Relief because he knew his newly wired heart would not be happy if he had to kill someone, but irritated because it too so damn long for Ven to stay down. The kid was persistent, that was for sure. Built like a rock, probably from being around Aqua and Terra for so long. Vanitas grimaced at he thought about it. Because Aqua probably got the trait from studying Terra. It made Vanitas feel kind of weak.

Not that he was of course.

Vanitas sighed and turned around. He'd caused enough damage to this room. The stained glass window was now shattered, the tile was broken and torn from its grout in some places, the walls were scorched and full of holes, and the thrones were partially destroyed. He did pretty well, if he did say so himself.

As Vanitas went to walk from the room, a glare of white caught his eye.

* * *

"Please."

"I really don't think it's a good idea."

"I know, I'm not sure how I feel about it either, but you said you tried a whole bunch of stuff, and…"

"That's completely different."

"You said you pushed me off a swing, though…"

"Completely different! Completely different emotions, Naminé!"

"But… I know there's something… there's some_one_ I need to remember, Riku, someone… really, really important to me. If I can remember that person— if I could remember _him_—"

"I would feel really awful about it."

"I'm _telling _you to… and… you brought it up…"

Riku stared down at the girl. She was really serious about this. The desperation in her eyes spoke the truth, and the truth was that she was scared, and confused, and she really believed that Riku could trigger something with this.

Riku tilted his head, his braid sliding to the side. "I brought up using memories to trigger your emotions," Riku said, shaking his head. "I didn't mean this."

"But… I know this feeling, Riku. I think it will work."

"Do you really?" Riku's starkly blue-green eyes gleaming beneath his long silver hair. "With me?"

"Yes." She tipped her head slightly to the side, her lips drawing back into a smile. "I… don't want to make you uncomfortable, but…" She bit her lip and looked down, her eyebrows furrowing.

Riku shrugged. "Don't think to hard, alright?" he asked with a chuckle, reached out towards her and tilting up her chin. He wasn't sure about how he felt about all of this. But he couldn't help but agree that this was probably one of the best ways to trigger this emotion. So Riku leaned forward and gently closed the distance between them. She was staring at him, and he was staring at her. It was not all that romantic. But her lips were very soft, and her hair was tickling his cheek.

And it triggered a reaction.

As Naminé closed her eyes, Riku pulled away. He didn't want to get too enrapt in her. Plus, he knew Naminé had kissed quite a few people before him. He found this actually very amusing. See, he had no intention of falling for this crazy girl, though, he had to admit, her personality was quite enthralling. But he didn't feel anything for her aside from a mutual friendship. Which was enough considering they really didn't know each other that well.

Naminé opened her eyes, and she looked very, very sad. She took a deep breath, her eyes looking like watery little orbs as she stared up at him. "I'm sorry," she breathed. "I completely just used you."

Riku shrugged casually, and leaned back. "You know, at the current moment, I don't really care all that much. Probably the best thing I've been used for in my whole life, if you stop to consider it all."

Naminé shook her head, a small smile appearing on her little pink lips. "I remembered his name," she whispered, closing her eyes, and pressing her hands to her chest.

And as she did so, the fire around them turned a bright, striking white, and was blown out like a candlelight.

* * *

"How…" Vanitas gasped, stepping back, shielding his eyes as the light and wind blinded him.

The boy was floating in fetal position, magical wind spiraling around him, batting his hair back and forth. His wounds were closing quickly, as if the blood that had been spilled was being sucked back into his wounds, and then sealing them shut. And then there was the light. That disastrous, radiant light, suspended from his hunched back, glowing as brightly as the sun, and tinted as white as snow. Six identical, gleaming, incandescent blades floated above Ven's back, looking awfully unnatural, and yet becoming contradictory as it seemed as if it was the most natural with in the world for Ven to have wings.

Wings made of blades.

* * *

_I have been waiting to use Wing Blade for CHAPTERS UPON CHAPTERS. OH MY GOD. Even when I didn't think Ven was going to get his Keyblade back, I was like, "Okay, but when he's fighting Vanitas he HAS TO GO INTO WINGBLADE MODE, OMG." I suck. XD_

_I whore out Namine. What can I say, I ship her with EVERYONE. And I love Namiku (though as a side pairing), so this made me happy. Also, who reads Homestuck? I've been keeping quiet about it, but I have to say it. I have fallen in love with Aradia in the same way I fell in love with Namine. Her character CALLS TO ME. Like, she's a woobie, but she's so independent, and despite lacking a personality for most of the comic (for understandable reasons), I adore her to no end. She's also got this air about her, like she doesn't give a fuck about anything. Even though, yeah, she does, because she sent her little spirits after Vriska after the Tavros accident. Can I just mention how much I love that Sollux was the one to kill her? Vriska obviously knew it wouldn't work if it was anyone but Sollux. AND FYI, OTP. SOLLUX/ARADIA. EVERYONE ELSE CAN GO HOME._

_I was going to say shit... um... So, XIII-2. Alyssa (or whatever her name is) better back her ass away from Hope, because SHE IS NOT HIS, NO. If Hope is going to be shipped, SHIP HIM WITH SOMEONE FROM THE GODDAMN FIRST GAME._

_I have this thing with sequels. I feel weird shipping people with people who didn't appear in the first one but appear in the sequel. Unless I REALLY like them, or there's no other option._

_LIKE HIS DARK MATERIALS (The Golden Compass). I still ship Lyra with Rodger! Even though he's dead, and she's got Will. GOD DAMMIT, DANI._

_OH, AND IT APPLIES WITH KH AS WELL. Like, why I don't ship Roxas with Xion. IT'S BECAUSE I PLAYED KHII FIRST, AND I WAS LIKE NINE, AND I THOUGHT, "WOW, THEY ARE BOTH SO CUTE, AND THEY'RE CUTE WHEN TALKING TOGETHER, I'M GONNA SHIP THEM." And I don't usually go back on my shipping word! I STILL HAVE A THING FOR ALL OF THE SHIPS I FIRST CALLED IN HOMESTUCK. CONSIDERING HOW CRAZY THE SHIPPING IN THE SERIES IS, THAT'S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT._

_hugo hugo hugo hugo_

_Asa Butterfield is my one true love, guys. asdfghjkl_

_Charlie Rowe is my second choice, because HELLO PETER PAN, YOU ARE GORGEOUS, LET ME GO TO NEVERLAND PLEEEEEEEEEASE._

_Interestingly enough, Charlie Rowe is also Rodger from the Golden Compass. WHEN FANDOMS COLLIDE, DANI IS ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE._

_Shit, I'm hyper right now, can you tell? XD_

_Next Chapter: The Heart's Final Spin_

* * *

Monsters were set ablaze, and Aqua cringed as the screamed shrilly, and cried like children.

What were these things?


	80. The Heart's Final Spin

**White Knight: Eighty :The Heart's Final Spin**

The blade like wings fluttered open, glowing majestically like six white hot beacons. Ven was holding his legs tight to his chest as his skin radiated a soft, dazzling white light. Vanitas stepped back, his wincing as the light stained his vision, burning the light into his eyes. It was crazy… there was no way the boy could be able to possess power like this. It was otherworldly, and sort of godlike in a way Vanitas could not place his finger on. How was this possible?

Ventus's eyes snapped open, the whites of his eyes splashing over his irises and pupils, making him appear like a blind man, his eyeballs completely milky white. He let go of his knees, and unfolding his legs slowly, as if he were testing the water of a lake before jumping in. Vanitas could only stare in awe, completely unprepared for such a strange feat of magic.

And then he glided forward, very slowly, his right foot grazing the marble floor as he rose his hands above his head. Vanitas growled softly and braced himself, knowing that he was not prepared for a comeback like this. Ven looked deadly, even though his was bathed in the soft, radiant light that burned Vanitas's eyes as if he was staring at the sun. Vanitas had never taken the pure essence of the power of Light seriously before. Now he understood that Light held a great power, one he could not begin to understand. His own Darkness quivered out of fear and bent pride. Light was a weapon, Vanitas realized, just as Darkness was. There was no good or evil in the balance. Because a weapon was meant to harm, and destruct, and destruction was inadvertently evil. But considering how both Light and Darkness were powerful weapons, this made no sense. So then, he thought, it was possible that he had been all wrong the whole entire time. Light was disgusting, yes, but Darkness was not appealing either. Both held powers that transcended all thought and feeling, and both could be used for evil, and both could be used for good. It did not matter. Darkness was only one part of a huge whole. Light was its counterpart. But they were the same, in a way he couldn't believe.

Because Darkness inspired terror in the hearts of humans. And right now, he felt terror burrow deep into his heart. If there was a god, or a mighty cosmic being out there who controlled the world's entire system, then this force that Ventus possessed could only be its messenger, the one who would pass judgment. Live or die. Good or evil. Worthy or tarnished.

Vanitas slid to the side as Ventus zipped toward him, two blades swinging in his hands, expertly moving to take a slice at Vanitas's second skin. Vanitas stepped back, his eyes widening as the boy simply pivoted, his blades whipping around and striking hard into Vanitas's chest. He gasped, feeling the light slice through his skin and spill blood onto the cracked, but still brilliantly white marble below his feet. Vanitas jumped back, blocking two strikes from Ven as the boy rounded about and slash at his back.

Their blades connected, slashing against each other as the fires of hell rained down, splashing sparks and cracks of thunder with a force that drove Vanitas mad. It was a thrill like nothing else as the fire of the light raged with great strength, the double swords of light coming closer and closer to slashing through him. Ven parried with attacks that blew Vanitas's mind, and his new wings did not help the situation. Vanitas could barely get a hit on the boy. His attacks were near useless, but he could defend himself still as Ven bombarded him with swords of light, hacking and slashing and flying and driving the white hot fiery wings into Vanitas's skin.

After much thought Vanitas skidded back, drawing his Keyblade to the side as he focused solely on the thought of his power, rushing through him like blood through his veins, and he understood that this, like other things in life, was a challenge that could be faced and conquered. Ven was obviously quite powerful, and his driven attacks were like life leaking from the very essence of him. It was powerful, but like the sun, in a way that its radiance was killer, and the light it gave was too heated to withstand.

A wave of Darkness in the form of fire came roaring through the ground, striking Ventus and sending him stumbling back. Vanitas took advantage of this and swept forward, slashing along with his blade and watching as the boy's skin, pearly white with the glow of the Light magic, turned a little red in places where Vanitas had hit. Ven grabbed another blade from behind his back and slammed it against Vanitas's, ceasing the rampage. Vanitas stared at him through the hole in his visor.

The boy jumped up, and Vanitas ducked under the boy as he bolted like lightning, a blur and a flash of pure white. All of his swords were flying around, circling like a mobile around his head, gleaming brightly and glinting with the magic of the Light. Vanitas gripped his blade, ready to block and set up as many barriers as possible. This was a real fight. This was a thrill he had been waiting for, his entire life resting on someone who could match him.

The clink of blade against blade, metal against… well the light blades Ven wielded were not metal, but they sounded like they were. Darkness moved around Vanitas like a spiraling cloud, clashing wildly with the sweeping ribbons of incandescent light emitting from Ven's very skin as he slashed around, his blades diving and smacking against the ground, and against Vanitas, always flashing back within a moment's notice. It was amazing, and thrilling, and absolutely terrifying.

Vanitas was facing what he thought he never could. This was the Light. How Ven possessed it, he couldn't be sure. But it was here, and it was against him. Maybe the Light had made its judgment. Too much Darkness, too much evil for him to live. But then, couldn't he decide his own destiny? Certainly. And so he would. With all his power he fended off blades of Light and ribbons of white, and lightning flashed around like cracks in old abandoned windows, webbing across the air, thickening it until tart.

"How?" Vanitas asked, his eyes widening. "How did you do it?"

Ventus was still attacking, his blades flashing in time with Vanitas's dark lightning, pulsing through the air and slashing, hacking, moving as light should, faster than one could blink. Vanitas lifted a hand, slamming it against the air, and beneath his palm the air rippled and hardened, spreading around him like glass. The blades in Ventus's hands crashed against the shield, resounding with a mighty screech as the blades slid noisily across the surface of the barrier.

"Answer me, twit!" growled Vanitas as his barrier fell.

Ven flew to the side as Vanitas's blade lashed out, and one of the blades hovering at the boy's back came zipping forward, slicing through the skin in his shoulder and sending his blood flying. Vanitas gasped and moved back, but Ven was adamant, moving with the lithe of a fairy, his blades whooshing against the air, and his wings glowing with a eye searing light. Vanitas slid to the side, swinging up his Keyblade, and watching as it crashed against the two blades in Ven's hands. Ven held Vanitas's blade at bay with one hand, his other swinging at Vanitas's head with the swiftness of a snake striking a heel. Vanitas ducked, the tip of the blade scraping against the top of his vision, screeching shrilly. Vanitas stuck out his leg and spun himself, catching Ven's knee. But as the boy stumbled to the side, he jumped into the air, crossing his blades and throwing them both up above his head. Without halting he grabbed another duel set of blades form behind his back, and moved backwards, the remaining swords on his back beating gently, as if they were the wings of a bird.

Ven rose his head as the two blades he had thrown into the air came crashing to the ground, and as they fell to his level he spun his swords in hand and there was an double earsplitting crack. Ven's blades met each other, and the blades in the air went spiraling, flying like a bullet toward Vanitas with the bright light of a miniature sun. Vanitas stared at it for a moment before he flung himself onto his back. The blades went flying over him, and right after them came Ven, a zooming white blur as he passed.

Vanitas jumped up and flung himself forward, his hand getting a grasp around Ven's leg, and they both went tumbling to the ground. Ven rolled onto his side, his wings scraping the marble floor, but Vanitas was already over him, smashing his Keyblade against the bright white glowing swords crossed in front of Ven's face to protect it. The scraping of blade against blade sent Vanitas's nerves tingling, because his old self was gnawing at his innards, hissing for some blood, some flesh strewn across the white marble, to slice open the boy's chest, stick his hand inside his ribcage and rip out his still beating heart.

But then something tugged at his own heart, something strong, and it dug its mighty claws into the walls of his empty heart, chomping into all the feelings he snubbed before, its teeth gnashing and blood gleaming on its lips. Vanitas growled to himself, guilt washing over him as he continued to slam his blade down on Ven's. He would not loose, however. He refused to. There was something about that thought that frightened him with all of his might. Loosing to such a measly kid. Disgraceful, really. He had been such a mighty assassin once, and now his heart bled with emotions he could not control. They were about to consume his entire being. What was he supposed to do about this? He had not a clue.

"Tell me," Vanitas growled, as Ventus struggled beneath him, his blades moving quick and lashing out at the masked boy. "Where did you get this _power_?"

"You want to know?" Ven asked, his voice different, as thought it had been brushed down to feathery lightness.

"No," Vanitas snarled, pressing the teeth of his Keyblade against the bright white swords Ven was clutching. "I've only been demanding it for the past five minutes because _I have no desire to know_."

"No need to get snippy," Ventus snickered. Vanitas grunted as he felt the boy's foot connect with his chest, sending him flying backwards. Vanitas flipped in the air and glanced up. Unsurprisingly, Ven was right on his tail, floating just above him with his blades at the ready. Vanitas gritted his teeth as he landed, his feet skidding against the marbled, and he bent forward, his fingers scraping against the floor painfully to balance him out. Ventus swung at him with the strength and force of a jungle cat, but Vanitas was able to smashing his own blade into Ven's duel swords, and Vanitas kicked up, sending Ven stumbling backwards again.

"You're pissing me off," Vanitas hissed, raising his arm and shaking the blood off it. The white marble was splattered with the gleaming crimson flecks.

"Fair enough," Ventus said, his voice soft. "If you stop, I'll stop. Deal?"

Vanitas blinked up at Ven, who was hovering a few feet away, glowing with the light of the sun. He was confused, because he knew what this was. Another test, another trial, and he would undoubtedly lose as he'd done with all the others. He was an idiot, a sorry excuse for a human being, and this sickened him. So he laughed, and drew back his Keyblade, his visible eye crazed with malice.

"Fight me, angel boy."

* * *

Aqua felt herself scream with the others as a swarm of blue surrounded them, and something slashed against her thigh and ankles, leaving her to stumble. She crashed against Hope, who had moved forward and snatched Lightning by the collar, standing on his toes to reach her height. This act seemed to suggest he didn't want to get separated from her, and Aqua understood well. She blinked down, hissing as something dug deep into her calf, and she shook her leg furiously. She summoned her Keyblade and smacked away the little blue creature, her eyes widening as it soared. Because she recognized it.

She looked down and stared, the faces of the crazed and peculiar creatures settling in her minds, and her mouth dropped open. What _was_ this? The possibility of this happening… she just couldn't grasp it. She gritted her teeth and swung at another small blue monster, beating at it until it dispersed. This was so wrong.

"Down, Floodie," she hissed as she slashed through two more of the ferocious little creatures. Hope blinked at her, and he raised his rifle in one hand.

"What are these things?" he asked, staring at them with a mix of fascination and horror.

"Hell if we know!" the spiky headed twin cried, jumping into the air and pushing back his long coat. This revealed a set of weapons strapped to his hips, and boy, were they the strangest looking things Aqua ever saw. They looked plenty fearsome, though, what with the incredibly long and pointy spikes extending around the circumference of both weapons. He jumped back to the ground, hacking and slashing away at every little monster he could set his weapon on. Aqua blinked, awed, as he spun and flung one of the strange circular weapons. It spun like a disc and cut through several monsters at once, leaving their bodies in halves as they dispersed into the morning light.

"Oh, damn…" breathed Rikku, who had unsheathed her daggers, and was standing quite still to stare at Axel wield his strange weapons.

Reno chuckled from beside Rikku, flicking his EMR into gear and running into the crowd of monsters, smacking at them. Aqua felt confused as she battled against the creatures, watching them disperse quickly after her blade hit them. It took the others much more time, of course, but the crowd of monsters was dying almost as swiftly as it appeared. Aqua was grateful for this. She needed to get to the mansion and help her friends, and she couldn't if she was still helping the Rebellion!

Aqua swept forward, crushing the little monsters with her blade, listening to the battle cries of her companions, and the sound of gunshots boomed in her ears. Aqua leapt at the opportunity, and smashed through the ice incased monsters, giving Hope a small nod of recognition. He smiled and backpedaled, sending more magically charged bullets out into the sea of blue. Monsters were set ablaze, and Aqua cringed as the screamed shrilly, and cried like children.

What _were_ these things?

"Lightning!" Aqua shouted, ducking under Vincent's gun to reach the woman, slashing at a few little blue monsters to get there. "Lightning, I can't stay here. I have to get to the mansion."

Lightning glanced at Aqua and rolled her eyes as she calmly hacked threw several blue monsters at once. They didn't disperse immediately, but after another smack with her blade, they were gone. "Go," said Lightning, a scoff at the edge of the tone. "We'll be fine by ourselves. We can handle these things."

"Okay," Aqua said, shaking her head. "But what if someone gets hurt and needs healing?"

"We'll figure it out!" Lightning snapped, spinning around to face the blue haired maiden. Aqua gasped, and stepped back, completely taken by the reaction. "Look, right now, _they_ need you more than we do. If someone gets hurt, we'll figure it out."

Aqua gaped for a moment, her guard completely dropping. She swallowed and stared up at the woman, her eyes shining. "Are you sure, Lightning?" she whispered. "What if Hope's wound opens up? What will you do if he drops in the middle of a battle."

Lightning exhaled sharply through her nose. She turned her back to Aqua and rose her arms into a defensive position. "I knew what risks I was taking when I allowed him to come," Lightning hissed. "Now go and kill Xehanort. I'm sick of all of this."

Aqua stared at Lightning as she dove into the mass of blue, smashing her way through the little monsters. Aqua couldn't bring herself to accept that she might be letting someone here die because of her selfishness. But still, they needed her too. How could they fight Xehanort on their own? Vanitas was a problem too. A huge problem. She wasn't sure if she was ready to face it. But watching Lightning fight made her realize that she couldn't have nay qualms. She had to make a decision, and she couldn't go back on it.

Aqua swallowed hard.

* * *

Black and white. The brightness contrasted greatly with the deep bursts of black that shot through the air and dripped from the sky like oily rain. Shots of the sun zipped through the air, crashing against the night's cloak, and they screamed as they collided, clawing and hissing as they burnt each other out, dying at each others' feet. It wasn't difficult to imagine how the light and darkness dealt with being in the presence of something so unlike it. The clangs of metal on light resounded across the broken room, and blood was flying onto the pure white floor, cracks appearing out of nowhere. It was odd, fighting like this.

They felt evenly matched. Despite all the blood, and there was a lot of it, they were not tired out at all. They were ready to fight. They wanted to kill each other. But at the same time, they wanted to run away and never touch a sword again. Their consciences wouldn't allow this. But still they battled. Still they collided, black and white, Light and Darkness, evil and evil, good and good. Their hearts were beating fast, and they knew that this was it.

But they also knew that they were not the ones who would finish each other off.

It would be incredibly poetic for Light and Darkness to finally cutthroat, and do each other in as they swore to eons pervious, but that was not the case. The duo had no idea when they were to die, but they knew it would not be by the other's hand. Judgment, possibly, but no direct slaughter. And so they fought, spilling more and more crimson onto the bright white marble, and Vanitas growled as his blade crashed against the duel blades of Ven, and his skin was searing from the light that sliced open his arms, and chest.

"For someone so rusty," Vanitas hissed, "you're pretty good at this."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere."

"Shame." Vanitas spun around, raising his leg into a roundhouse kick. Ventus was to fast, as usual, and he ducked, rolling away and taking a slice at Vantias's leg as he went. "Shit," the boy hissed as blood trickled down his calf. Vanitas jumped away as Ventus swung, the duel blades glowing in a blur as Vanitas dodged his way backwards.

Vanitas moved up and slashed through Ventus's side as the boy lurched the wrong way to get to him. Blood spurted from the wound and Vanitas winced, his heart clenching. Ven stared at Vanitas, his eyes widening a little. Vanitas stared back, tightening his grip on the hilt of his Keyblade, his fingers trembling as his heart shuddered and hissed. Blood was growing dark around Ventus's side, just below his lips, and the white glow emitting him made the blood appear almost black.

Ven then shot up, quick as a bullet, and disappeared in the ceiling beams, his wings beating fast, soft clangs like metal tapping against each other sounded as they fluttered. Vanitas hissed and jumped back, searching the ceiling with his neck craned. But Ventus seemed to be hiding. Vanitas rose his blade, spinning around, his visible eye flashing. He walked around, stepping carefully, his feet crunching over the broken glass and marble.

He stopped as something hot hit his face, splattering against his mask, and eyebrow, dripping down into his eye. Vanitas sneered and jumped up, sending a volley of shots straight upward. They smacked against the ceiling beams and exploded, sending Ventus flying backwards, tumbling to the ground. He crashed and rolled away onto his side, blood and dust caked on his glowing white skin.

Vanitas's heart hissed and clenched at the sight, and he wondered how exactly this would work. Could he really simply kill the boy? He wondered if it was fate, if he could, possibly get away with one last murder, and his mind screamed for it. Vanitas brushed the blood from his eye and grinned, walking forward. His heart couldn't take it though, and as he stood over Ventus, he knew he couldn't do it.

But he was still standing over Ven, his blade against Ven's jugular. He wondered. He wished. He wanted to destroy. He wanted to kill. Vanitas breathed heavily, his heart hissing and churning. He stared blankly, wondering how he would manage it. So he moved forward, watching as the light emitting from the boy's skin dulled, and the blades disappeared. Ven stared up at Vanitas, his eyes wide for a moment. Then he smiled. Vanitas gritted his teeth in frustration. The boy had already accepted his fate. Vanitas could see it in his eyes. The boy knew it was the end.

"Wait," Ven said softly, and Vanitas cringed. "Before you kill me. Can you please just deliver a message?"

"Why the fuck would I do that?" growled Vanitas.

"Because it's your fault Sora's dead, right?" Ven laughed, his hand flying to his bloody side. "Oh… god… I really wasn't prepared for this."

Vanitas pressed the teeth of his blade harder against the boy's neck, and watched at blood dribbled down the side of it. "Get on with it."

"Yeah," gasped Ven, his eyes widening again. They had closed momentarily. "Oh, yeah, um… just… find Kairi. Tell her that Sora wanted to tell her…" Ven's eyes flickered closed. "Shit, I don't even know."

Vanitas stared down at the boy, feeling his mouth drop open.

Because he knew.

And he flinched at the thought.

"Whatever," he hissed, slamming his foot into the boy's chest. Ven cried out, blood splashing onto his lips. As Vanitas moved his Keyblade, his heart stopped.

And it moved against itself, burning and churning and hissing, as it began to collapse onto itself.

And with a burst of light, Vanitas's blade was flung from his hands. Vanitas blinked up, and gaped as he was pushed hard onto his back and pinned to the ground, a fist coming down on his mask and shattering it. The shards sliced against his skin, and he squeezed his eyes shut. His heart was spinning and his blood was boiling like a sky and its sun.

Vanitas chuckled and tilted his head back, feeling his nose brush against his assailant's.

"I knew you'd show up," he rasped.

* * *

_Ow. God, I have a headache, and my throat hurts, and I'm tired. Damn it all. _

_Oh, and I'm hungry, can't forget that._

_Lol, so, I NEED A SHOW OF HANDS LIKE RIGHT NOW._

_IF I WROTE ANOTHER KH STORY WITH PAIRINGS SIMILAR TO THIS STORY, HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD READ IT? AS USUAL IT'D BE AN AU, AND IT'D BE CRAZY, BUT NOT AS LONG AT ALL._

_Just need to know._

_Night._

_ And merry belated Christmas!_

_ Next Chapter: Release the Inferno_

* * *

It screamed, and she dropped to her knees, her fingers finding their way to her head, and she hissed through her teeth as she began to scratch blindly at her face.


	81. Release the Inferno

**White Knight: Eighty One :Release the Inferno**

Her decision had been for the best. She thought about it as she bolted down the streets of the Light Region, her feet clapping hard against the cobble stone, her heart thumping in her ears as she dodged the citizens running for cover. Could she have abandoned Terra, Ventus, and Roxas to fight on their own while she helped the Rebellion quell the little Floodies' threat? She honestly couldn't see any other way. She said she'd help them, and she would. She only stayed for so long because of Hope and Lightning. And then things got out of control…

Well, now she was back on track. She knew her way to the mansion, so it was easy to navigate through the streets. Wave after wave of nostalgia hit her as she moved swiftly, her blade cutting through the little blue monsters that got in her way. She found herself feeling quite small, like she was a little girl again, rushing through the streets without much care or thought. It was how a child acted of course, but now she simply felt foolish. All of these hardships could have been avoided if she had just been more careful as a kid.

But then… she'd never have met her friends if none of that had happened.

Maybe it was fate. She had been destined to grow up in the Dark Region so she could be friends with Ventus and Terra. It was possible she had lived her life all these years not knowing exactly who she because that was how it was _supposed _to go. Destiny was a funny thing. And fate was cruel, as she knew. It played everyone like the fools they were.

Aqua skidded to a stop at the courtyard's edge, her eyes widening as she came face to face with a very large, very oddly shaped purple gun. She stared at it for a moment before she shrieked, and threw herself aside. She rolled onto the cobble stone, her face scraping hard against the rock. The spring and crack of the gun went off, sending arrowed bullets into the air and made her roll onto her back, and slam her hand against the air above her, a shield spreading fast beneath her fingers. The bright purple arrows came raining down, crashing against her shield and screeching madly as they bounced away.

"God dammit," she hissed through her teeth, dragging herself to her feet as she rose her Keyblade and flicked her wrist, the teeth of the blade colliding and shattering her shield. She clenched her jaw, blood running into her eye and down her neck, and she glared up at Braig, her eyes narrowed. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you!" she shouted, moving into a defensive position.

"Aw," Braig cooed, "well, that's just too damn bad!" The man cocked his guns toward her again, and she growled under her breath, preparing to shield herself. But she was shocked to see a man zip behind Braig and slash him right across the back. Braig howled, and disappeared. The man jumped up and swung his sword as a barrage of bullets came barreling fast towards him, and he cut clean through them all, the shells of crystalline arrows clattering to the stone.

Aqua spun around, her eyes locking with another one of Xehanort's cronies, and she ducked as he swung at her, albeit slowly, with his gigantic hammer-like weapon. Another man came dashing in front of Aqua, his boots squelching against the cobble, and Aqua clamped a hand over one ear as the earsplitting screech of blade against blade cut through her mind like a blunt saw through bone. It was cringe worthy.

"Are you okay?" the man who had jumped in front of her called.

Aqua blinked, her eyes trailing to Braig, who was battling the other man fiercely, trying to land a hit on the man who seemed to be able to dodge anything. "I'm fine," Aqua said as the man kicked Aeleus back. Her eyebrows raised. Were these men super soldiers? "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"Oh, yikes!" the man yelped his giant sword colliding with the odd hammer-like weapon again. "Such a long story! Uh," the man jumped up and skidded away from the giant that was Aeleus and moved swiftly, landing a blow at the man's thigh. "Bad stuff, bad people, lots of destruction and death!"

"Oh." Aqua blinked, unsure about how she felt about this explanation. Her heart stuttered, reminded of Ventus in an odd way, but her mind was a little agitated. "Do you need help?" she asked slowly, raising her Keyblade. The man blinked back at her, his eyes widening for a moment. He then grinned broadly.

"If you can fight," he said, jumping back near her, "most definitely!"

* * *

Lightning flicked back the safety on her gunblade and fire twice at one of the monsters, blowing a hole through its tiny head. A burst of dark matter shot from the wound, billowing out like smoke mixed with gravity defying blood. She spun around and shot again, her bullets sliding easily through another monster, sending it flying into one of its buddies, and they awkwardly squirmed on their backs before Lightning stepped forward and squeezed her trigger, sending them both into oblivion.

Her eyes caught sight of Hope, who was holding his rifle steady as he sent a storm of bullets at the crowding blue monsters, all of them dispersing into smoke after a few moments of being subjected to the bullets. Hope glanced at her and smiled gently, stepping back and ducking behind Axel as the man came strolling forward, his chakrams spinning wildly in his hands as he lithely weaved between the mounds of blue creatures, sawing through them with a strange, somehow fiery swiftness.

Lightning stepped back, flicking her blade out of its holder and smacking it against a monster that approached her from above, cutting clean through it. It bled black smoke profusely, and she turned, jabbing her gunblade against the body of another small blue thing. Their numbers were dwindling, but it seemed as if they were infinite, almost. Of course she knew they were taking down a lot, considering how many they had to start with, but this was just…

It was getting painfully irritating. Lightning continued to slash, blindly almost as she leapt into the air, flicking her wrist gently to pull the blade back into her gun, and as she felt herself flying through the air, her pink hair whipping around her face, and the harsh wind slapping against her skin, she narrowed her eyes. She rose her gun and cautiously shot.

They were going fast now, puffs of smoke, and childlike screeches filling their ears. Lightning landed on her feet, skidding slightly against the pavement as she kicked away one of the unsavory beings, shooting three in the head without the slightest hesitation. Rikku rounded behind her, her knife moving fast in her hands, slicing through the foes in her way with great ease. She was holding the daggers backhandedly, and she drove the tips of her blades into the sides of one monster's head, partially decapitating it. It screamed and hissed, and bled thick, boggy black smoke. And then it was gone.

Lightning growled as Snow came barreling toward her, his giant fists smacking into the monsters, sending them flying. Lightning shook her head and began to shoot, counting them off in her head without even realizing it. Suddenly she was keeping track of all the little monsters she killed, muttering the numbers under her breath as she shot a few, adding four to her count, and slashed through a few more, adding two. She was actually enjoying herself a little.

"Hey, Light," grinned the giant man, his fist colliding with yet another blue monster. Lightning watched it soar into the air and she stood on her tip toes, springing up and slinging her blade out of her gun, letting it tear right through the blue flesh of the monster, and sending black smoke and eerie screams flying, impacting her with a wave of nausea.

"Don't call me Light," Lightning snapped at Snow, shoving her blade between the eyes of an unsuspecting monster. It stared at her with its red eyes so wide, they looked very childlike, before it began to wail. Lightning blinked, her heart pounding as she listened to the terror in the screeching, the voice behind the monster, and she stumbled back, her blade slipping from her fingers and clattering to the cobble stone.

Snow stared down at her, his mouth dropping open. "Lightning…?"

Lightning felt her mind begin to shudder as the scream continued, long, drawn out, and agonizing, pleading, begging, whispering, because why? Why was this happening?

Why? Why? Why?

It screamed, and she dropped to her knees, her fingers finding their way to her head, and she hissed through her teeth as she began to scratch blindly at her face. She was so despicable. How could she even live with herself? She was a murderer, and soldier, a waste of an existence. Why did she bother living? What was even the point anymore? She was such a pitiful excuse for a human, she could barely stand to think anymore. She wanted out. She felt so awful.

And the little monsters cried, singing her song of agony.

* * *

"Oh no…"

"What?"

"Oh, god, no, not now…"

"What? Wait, what are you talking about?"

Naminé rose to her feet, the cool quietness around them— from the roar of the flames ceasing— becoming deafening. She stared past the top of Riku's head, her eyebrows knitting together, and she took a step back. She rose her hands shakily over her heart, her big blue eyes welling with tears.

"Oh, please, no…"

"_What_?" Riku jumped to his feet, his eyes narrowing. "What's going on? Tell me what's wrong."

Naminé glanced at his face and took a sharp, but deep breath. "It's the sun, Riku, it's the sun," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Riku glanced up. The sun was indeed still roaring with its last ounce of life, churning and burning itself out with its mighty power. The sky had gone a misty blue, however, with a deep stretch of crimson bleeding through it as if someone had stabbed the sun in the heart, and now it was laying in an ocean, and its blood was swirling away against the waves. Riku blinked slowly, shielding his eyes from the incredibly blinding light of it. He looked back at the little blonde girl, and he rose an eyebrow.

"The sun is the same as it's been," he said with a soft snort. "Come on, Naminé, stop fooling around."

"I'm serious!" she shrieked, her eyes squeezing shut. "The sun is going out, Riku! It's going out _now_!"

Riku stared at her, his mouth opening slightly in a gape of confusion, and he shook his head. "What does that _mean_—"

But Riku had no chance to finish his sentence, as the small girl's pain filled screams cut through the silence of the world.

Naminé's screams filled the worlds all around them, her eyes glowing black as flames engulfed her body and exploded outwards.

* * *

Aqua moved as fast as she could, her blade clanging against the arrows that Braig was continuously shooting at her. She skidded around and dropped into a rolled, jabbing her blade into Braig's lower calf. He howled in pain and disappeared with a shroud of darkness, and a single whoosh. Aqua jumped to her feet, stepping back as she spotted him behind Cloud, the man with the helmet, who was battling off stray arrows. Her heart thudded in her ears, and she jumped up into the air, tossing her Keyblade up above her, and letting it spin fast like a propeller. She closed her eyes and focused on her core, her heart, and she felt her hands become warm.

She dropped to her feet, stumbling a little, and she stretched out the mixture of light and ice magic in the palms of her hands, feeling it grow longer, like an elastic band, and she jumped back as her blade came tumbling down. She flung the elongated string of magic into the air and conjured a small ball of fire in her hands, letting it burn for a short second before she whipped it upwards, catching her blade as it dropped to her side.

Aqua sprung upwards again, pulling her arm back quite far before swinging her Keyblade hard against the ball of fire. It collided with the string of magic, that then shot forward like a bullet and hacked right through Braig's side. The man cried out, blood spilling from the wound, and he stumbled backwards, disappearing again.

Aqua looked around, bringing up her shield as she tried to take deep breaths and assess the situation. Fighting like this was so dizzying! She couldn't recall being in a battle like this before. It was thrilling, but… very frightening. She shook her head and felt herself moving without really commanding herself to, dashing around like a lunatic as she tried to get a hit on Braig again.

This was absolute insanity, and she knew it. Her blade collided with Aeleus's hammer-like weapon, and she felt herself flipping backwards, fumbling a little on her landing, and wobbling in place. She was not as strong as she would like to be.

"Okay!" Zack shouted, swing his sword, and nicking Aeleus in the chin. "So, who are you, anyway?" He glanced at Aqua and grinned broadly, while his companion stepped in beside Aqua, panting slightly.

Aqua smiled back at Zack, bowing her head a little to show her respect. "My name is Aqua," she said, throwing up another shield around them as Braig materialized, clutching his side. Arrows flew everywhere, and Aqua cringed as they grated against the surface of her barrier.

"Well, Aqua," he said, skidding back as the shield dropped. "It is a pleasure to meet you!"

"Yeah," said his companion, a half smile appearing on his lips. "Your help is appreciated, really."

"I'm glad," she sighed, glancing at the entrance to the mansion. It was hanging over her head that she needed to be in there, helping her friends.

Zack grunted as he was smacked hard in the stomach, and was sent flying across the courtyard and into a pillar. Aqua gasped and froze, glancing upwards as she heard the familiar click of Braig's guns loading. She swore softly to herself and dove out of the way, her hands hitting the cobble stone and allowing her to balance on them for a few moments before her legs came tumbling down. She blinked slowly, surprised by the cartwheel (as she had not meant to do one), before she spun around and held up her blade, her feet grinding against the ground as she attempted to block the arrow bullets.

"This is so crazy!" she gasped. Cloud was the only one who could hear her, however, because from what she could tell, Zack was still trying to dig himself out of the rubble of the pillar. "Why are they even here?"

"Guards," Cloud shouted to her. Braig snorted.

"Yikes, you're not as smart as I thought, are ya, little girly?" he asked with a forced snicker. Aqua's eyes narrowed at him. She moved to bring up a shield again, but a mighty crash shook the earth around them, sending everyone, even Braig, who was suspended in midair, wobbling from side to side. Aqua looked around wildly, her mouth dropping open as two men crashed through the courtyard entrance, smashing a few pillars as they went, and sending rock and debris flying. Aqua fell to her knees as a large chunk of concrete from the pillar came spiraling over her head, and she gaped, glancing upward as more broken cement came raining from the sky. Aqua pushed herself onto her hands, and used her body to spin around as she connected her leg with the back of Cloud's knees. He tumbled backwards, tripping over her legs and slamming onto his back. More large chunks of rock zoomed over their heads.

"Are you okay?" Aqua gasped, wiping some of the dust from her face. She pulled her legs out from underneath Cloud, her fingers brushing against little pieces of rock here and there as she attempted to push herself to her feet.

"I've been better," the man muttered, wiping his eyes with his shirtsleeve. "What the hell just happened?"

Aqua shrugged and looked up, a dust clouding her vision and blinding her from the scene. But she could hear the clang of metal against metal. She coughed a little as she inhaled the acrid taste of dust and rock, her fingers brushing against the large pile of rubble a few feet away from her. She pushed herself up, her shoes managing to grip the jagged edges of the debris.

She looked around, and for a moment, was completely confused as to what was going on. Cloud pulled himself to his feet beside her, blinking around confusedly. His helmet had fallen off amidst all the chaos. He pulled his sword up beside him and scowled a little as the smoke cleared.

"Where's Zack?" he asked glancing around.

"Probably knocked out…" Aqua sighed, thinking about how nasty the hit had looked. He'd broken a whole column by himself.

Aqua cried out and jumped away as the earth beneath her shifted, and she felt her back slam into the ground hard, knocking the breath out of her. She rolled onto her side, her lips scratching against the ground, blood dripping slowly into her eyes in rivulets. She swallowed hard, blinking the stars and blood out of her vision as she moved to push herself upwards.

"Aqua?"

Aqua's eyes flickered upwards, and she gasped again, her face splitting into a grin. "Terra!" she cried, scrambling to her feet. "Terra, you're alright!"

"So are you!" he shouted, his dark cobalt eyes growing wide. His head suddenly whipped to the side, and he gritted his teeth. "Watch out!" And so he swept forward, his speed a little surprising, and he tackled her to the ground, allowing them to tumble and roll into the pile of jagged debris. Aqua hissed, pain stinging her side as she tried to move a little.

"Ouch, Terra," she whispered, pushing him away a little. "You're squishing me onto this crap!"

"Oh, god," he hissed, rolling off her. She sat up immediately and began to rub her side, examining it for blood. She looked up and shrieked, grabbing Terra by the arm and yanking him closer to her as her hands shot out, and a shield formed at her finger tips. She stared, her mouth dropping open as a Keyblade smashed against it, her fingers twitching from the force of the impact. She stared at the boy's face, her eyes widening more and more as the revelation became clear.

"Oh my…" she whispered, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end as her eyes met the harsh, cold golden gaze of Riku.

Or, rather, Master Xehanort, it seemed.

She tried to reinforce her shield, but the boy was too strong. She could feel her power crumbling beneath the tips of her fingers, and she took a few deep breaths, her eyes flashing around wildly, trying to think of a back up play. Her shoes scraped against the cobble beneath here, and she pressed her fingers against the inside of her shield, her heart beat accelerating tenfold as she felt the shield crack.

"Run!" she cried, fleeing backwards as the barrier shattered. She landed a with another stumble as she summoned her Keyblade, shooting a blast of pure light Riku's way. Riku… no, it was Xehanort, dodged easily and summoned a flurry of fire that grew as he held it. She stared blankly.

"Aqua, move!"

Aqua felt her heart race as she tried to moved backwards, but she was swept up by the fire shooting fast around her. She screamed, her eyes widening as her skirt caught flame, and she swung her blade like a bat to hit the spheres of fire back at Master Xehanort. Heat licked her legs, and she backed up again, staring down at her leg as the fire met her skin. She shrieked and stumbled over a broken column, tumbling onto her side. She clamped her teeth down on her tongue to keep herself from screaming in agony as the fire caught her leggings, and burned her thigh.

She shrugged off her sweater and patted the fire out, hissing through her teeth as her skin seared with pain. The smell of charred flesh and arid smoke made her eyes water, and her throat burned from inhaling the gas. She cringed as she moved to get up, and she gasped, pain enveloping her entire leg. She shuddered, shocked, before she pushed her sweater away from the wound and quickly slammed her palm against it. She let out a soft scream, stifling it by biting on her hand, and she squeezed her eyes shut. A coolness spread across her leg, and she took a deep breath, blinking back tears.

She took a few more deep breaths as she felt someone lean over her. She looked up, and smiled a little as Terra dropped to his knees and slid his arms beneath hers. She grunted a little as she attempted to push herself up, to aid him in moving her out of the way. Her hand was still pressed against her wound, determined to make it go away.

"Terra," she gasped, gripping his shoulder as she limped backwards, her eyes darting to where Master Xehanort was standing. He was currently healing himself. "Oh, gosh, Terra, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know." His voice was panic stricken, and his grip on her was too tight for comfort. She could hear his heartbeat thumping like a hammer against his chest, and she pulled her face away from it, mildly dizzy. "Aqua, look, I need you to find Ven."

"And leave you?" She gritted her teeth in frustration as her burn lost its pain, and she stood up straight. "Don't be such a moron! You can't do this stuff all by yourself!"

"Ven's fighting Vanitas, Aqua!" Terra snapped, pushing her into a crouch as a spiral of darkness whooshed over their heads. Aqua stared at him, her stomach going icy at his words.

"Wait…" she gasped, clutching his arms as he moved to get up. "But… but Ven, he's not a match for Vanitas!" she shrieked. "Not at all, Terra!"

"I know!" Terra growled, staring fiercely into her eyes, his face marred by cuts and blood smeared into his eye, and hair, and coating his lips with flecks of red. "That's why I need you to go. I can take care of this!"

"You can't even heal yourself properly!" Aqua hissed, throwing up another shield, her anger and annoyance fueling her power. Bullets from Braig's gun whizzed by them, and large chunks of debris came shooting against the barrier, cracking and bouncing away. "How the hell have you even survived this long, Terra, you're a wreck!"

"Gee, thanks," the boy sneered. "God, Aqua, I'm doing the best I can!"

"I realize that, but you need help!" She took a deep breath, her mind reeling as she held up her hand, pressing it hard against the barrier to fortify it as it sputtered. "I don't want you to die, okay?"

"Well, shit!" Terra growled. "I don't really want to die either, but Ven needs you a hell of a lot more right now!"

"Are you done with your lover's spat?" asked a bored voice from above them. Aqua glanced up, swallowing hard as her eyes met the blank gold of Xehanort's, Riku's face gleaming with sweat and flecked with dust.

"Oh, god," she whispered as he raised his Keyblade.

"Move!" barked Terra, jumped to his feet and sliding away, his arms still around Aqua's waist. She cried out, tumbling after him, and she spun on her heel, glancing at the ground. She grinned and flexed her foot, moving the tip of it across the ground in a half circle, as if she were a ballerina. She broke away from Terra's embrace and moved her Keyblade, her feet moving in a slow sort of dance as she felt the gravity around her shift.

And then Xehanort stepped on a mine. Terra was blasted back, but Aqua, who had been prepared, was standing rather unfazed, her shield dropping as she moved forward, lithely flipping over the fallen Xehanort and slashing her blade across his back as he attempted to rise. She skidded backwards, her eyes widening as she looked behind her. The entrance to the mansion was right there.

"Aqua, go!" Terra cried to her. "Go help Ven!"

"But," Aqua screamed drawing her blade up as Xehanort lunged at her. She felt back on impact and sent a wave of fire from the tip of her blade, causing Xehanort to duck. "But, Terra, what about you?"

"What the hell, Aqua! Who gives a shit about me right now, just _go_!"

She stumbled back again, her eyes widening and her heart aching. She couldn't bear it to lose Terra, but Ven was… and how could she choose? It was just too impossible! She wanted to help Terra, but Ven… Ven couldn't fight Vanitas on his own! Aqua closed her eyes for a quick moment, before she took a sharp breath and spun on her heel, clambering over the remains of the columns and speeding into the mansion.

She felt the darkness around, her but she did not stop running. She fled it, regret washing over her as she realized she had not even healed Terra. He had no chance, none at all, and it was all her fault! She cursed herself for being such an idiot. This could've been prevented so easily, but no. Aqua breathed heavily as she moved through the halls, her eyes roving around the destruction around her. Her feet crunched against broken glass and bits of wall.

She stopped at a stained glass window, which was shattered in three places, and she peered out the largest hole. She had no time for this, but she was just so curious. Her eyes feel upon smoke, and fire, and she squinted. She could not see the Rebellion from here, however, so she moved on, her near shoulder length hair spinning about her head as she turned.

She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She had to stay strong, she was about to fight Vanitas! Her heart ached a little at the thought. He wasn't really as awful as she had always thought. In fact, she really didn't know how she felt about him. She… knew it was possible she could care for him, but…

She slowed to a stop as the hallway came to a close, and she clamped her hand over her mouth as her eyes fell upon the scene before her. She walked slowly, her mind flashing back to the day a few weeks, possibly a month previous, when she had come to the Light Region to help save Serah and Vanille. She sunk to her knees, her hands lowering from her mouth shakily as she felt her throat constrict, her heart wrenching.

"Sora…" she whispered, her eyes tearing up as she reached out, her fingers twitching as she gently brushed his sweaty, blood caked brown hair from his pale face. His blue eyes stared into oblivion, unblinking and glossy.

She took a deep breath and wrapped her hands around the spear, wincing a little at the sound of tearing skin as she yanked it from his stomach. Blood splattered onto her skirt, and she scowled, tossing the lance away. But when she looked at it clearly, it suddenly seemed familiar. Her eyes widened.

"Oh my god…" she whispered to herself. "That's…"

She shook her head slowly. No, it couldn't have been Ven. It had to have been someone else. She simply… she wouldn't believe it.

Aqua looked back at Sora, raising her hand over his wound. And she tried. She tried as hard as she could to get the magic to work, but she knew it wasn't possible. She couldn't heal the dead.

She rose to her feet slowly, her ears picking up the sound of a battle. Well, she thought, her eyes still full of tears, at least Ven's still alive. She moved forward, her knees buckling, and she peered through the doorway, into the throne room. Her eyes widened in shock, and awe.

Ventus was fighting like she'd seen no one fight before. His entire body was moving like some kind of giant bird, and he was fighting with glowing white swords that were almost pure blurs when he swung them. It was unbelievable.

Aqua gasped as Vanitas's blade cut through Ven's side, and she stepped forward. She stared, her eyes widening as the boy jumped into the air and disappeared in the ceiling beams. Aqua stepped back, hiding herself behind the door as Vanitas looked around. She stared with her eyes wide as he walked around slowly, his head craned upwards.

Aqua stared as Vanitas jumped up and sent a volley of darkness into the ceiling beams, and Ven came tumbling down. He landed with a crash, and Aqua stepped away from the door, readying herself to attack. Vanitas was already over Ven, however, and Aqua stopped to stare. She didn't know why she stopped, but she did.

"Wait," Ven said, his voice cracking. "Before you kill me. Can you please just deliver a message?"

"Why the fuck would I do that?" growled Vanitas.

"Because it's your fault Sora's dead, right?" Ven laughed, his. "Oh… god… I really wasn't prepared for this."

Aqua stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. Well it was a good thing she was here, then. Aqua moved into the room as Vanitas continued to speak, pressing his blade hard against Ven's neck. Ven gasped and choked out what he was trying to say. Vanitas slammed his foot against the boy's chest, and Aqua growled, summoning her Keyblade and shooting a bullet of light at the unsuspecting boy. His own Keyblade went flying, and Aqua growled as she leapt forward, tackling Vanitas and pinning him to the ground. She rose her hand and slammed her fist against the glass of his helmet, causing it to shatter, and smash against his face.

Aqua was angry, she realized as her heart began to speed up, her blood pumping. She wanted to destroy the boy. He was awful, so, so awful, and he deserved it. He deserved to die.

Aqua growled under her breath, the sound of soft, childlike screams filling her ears and squeezing her heart as she flicked the blood off her hand.

But Vanitas simply smiled up at her, his wolf-like grin gleaming in the soft midday sun that streamed through broken windows.

"I knew you'd show up."

* * *

Riku cried out as he was blown back, fire catching his arms and legs as he tried to shield himself. He was flung against the pavement, rolling across it and squashing the flames that clung to him immediately. He hissed, blood pooling around his eyes, and he felt the searing heat of Namine burn down on him. And he heard her scream, her awful, awful screams, and he clamped his hands over his ears, feeling his own screams churn into the mixture.

He didn't understand what was happening, but he could feel the hatred. So much hatred, so, so much, and it was coming. It burned like hellfire, and raced across the hearts of all who went near, and that was it. That was the whole of it. Riku gasped as he tried to push himself to his feet, his eyes catching the fiery form that was standing at the center of the playground. Her eyes were the only think not on fire, for they were the hearth, black as coal. Riku brought himself shakily to his feet, his hands clamped over his ears.

"Naminé!" he cried, his voice cracking in despair. "Naminé, stop doing this!"

But of course she had no control over her actions, and he knew this. He took a deep breath, his mind aching with the screams of the girl, and he wondered. Were they really her screams? He couldn't be sure. It sounded like her, but then… it also sounded like a huge number of people. Like screaming children. Oh, he couldn't be sure…

Riku knew one thing though. He turned slowly, lowering his hands from his ears, and he stared incredulously at the black cloaked figure before him, his eyes drooping.

"Seriously?" he whispered, his voice barely carrying over screams and roar of fire. "This is it?"

The figure bowed their head, and slowly rose their hands, flipping their hood back. Riku felt his teeth grind together in irritation, and his wrath got the better of him. He stomped forward, grabbing the figure by their shoulders and shaking them furiously.

"What the hell?" he growled, his eyes narrowed and filled with hurt and anger. "What the hell did you do?"

"I…" whispered the figure. "I completely destroyed her…"

"Shit!" He shook her again, this time much more violently, and she stared up at him with wide blue eyes.

"I'm sorry!" she cried. "But it was the only—"

"Shut up!" Riku spat at her. "Shut up, shut up! For years I've been trying to show you how to do what was right, to not be that person that everyone despises because they're the ones that screw up, but _god_. You just can't fight destiny, can you?"

"I know!" She shook her head. "I know, but I couldn't… I just didn't know how not to…"

"Just stop talking!" Riku screamed. "Just stop. I don't even care. I just want to know what the hell you just did!"

"I made it so she manipulated everyone!" gasped the girl, her eyes welling with tears. "All of them. They all have to feel what they've been holding tight, and…" she gulped. "That's… that's it. I didn't mean to… I just wanted to…"

Riku felt his hand drop. He looked back at Naminé, who was standing, screaming, flames spurting from her body. Riku's eyes flashed back to the girl he was clutching.

"Is _this _what you want, Xion?"

* * *

_Oh, god, this is awful. God forgive me, I wrote this so late. Probably around this time, actually._

_FML. So, I wouldn't even bother with updating, but, guess who is an idiot? ME. Why? Because I made a bet with my friend Angie that I could put up three chapters of this shitty story by the time my break is over, which is Tuesday. Unless my eye doctor's appointment goes well, via, they make my vision blurry, or something. That'd just be marvelous. And my vacation would extend to Wednesday! YAY._

_SO MANY TYPOS. I SWEAR IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS BAD. _

_Um, this whole chapter is OBVIOUSLY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AQUA'S POINT OF VIEW LAST CHAPTER, HA HA HA HA._

_oh and there's the end hi xion you are sucking majorly right now_

_Except, no, because I actually like her character better when she's being a bit of a bitch? Whatever, Dani has a thing for character flaws, just roll with it._

_Next chapter is the chapter in which EVERYONE GOES BATSHIT FUDGING (I censored myself, see, there's a Christmas present for you) INSANE, and Xion FOR REALS NOW completely switches roles with Namine. At least their ingame roles._

_Next chapter: Rage of War_

* * *

"Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!" Ven clutched his chest as he laughed manically, his face turning red from the lack of air. "Oh— gosh— I— really— hate— you— ha!"


	82. Rage of War

**White Knight: ****Eighty Two :Rage of War**

Aqua stared down at the boy, her breathing heavy, and she ignored the sting of glass imbedded in her skin as she slammed him down. He blinked profusely, a rather dazed look appearing in his golden eyes. Glass laid all around his face, and it was a wonder how he could even bear to open his eyes. Aqua gritted her teeth, feeling her anger reach higher, her finger nails slicing into his skin-like suit. He watched her, his eyes glinting oddly, and this only increased her rage.

"You," she spat, rising to her feet, digging the heel of her left boot into his chest. "What did you _do_?"

Vanitas's eyebrows raised, and his eye twitched as blood streamed into it. He smiled at her, looking rather pleased, if not completely satisfied with the entire situation. Aqua vaguely heard rustling behind her, but she was too preoccupied with her own wrath. She growled and summoned her Keyblade, which she had dropped, and smacked him across the face with it.

"Aqua!" Ven gasped, his voice strained.

"Go away, Ven," Aqua growled, "this is between me and him!"

"Not quite," Vanitas spat back, blood dribbling down his chin. "Dear little Ventus isn't quite so innocent anymore, if you catch me? This involves him as well."

"Shut up," Aqua hissed. Her eyes were wide, almost crazed. "I don't even care! I don't care about any of that! I just want you to _die_, Vanitas!"

He smirked, almost sadly, his eyes fluttering closed. Ven's shouts grew louder, and Vanitas sighed. He cracked open one eye, and chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright," he said loudly, clearly. "So be it!" Vanitas's own blade was summoned in a swirl of Darkness, and he lashed out at Aqua, who swung her own blade. The collided with a screech, and Ven cried out in shock and fear.

"Aqua, stop this!"

"Go away!" the girl snarled.

"Aqua!" Ven ran toward her, limping and leaving a trail of blood across the marble tile. "Please stop! What the hell are you _doing_?"

"I'm destroying the root of the problem!" she cried, jumping back as Vanitas rose to his feet, his blade still clanging against hers, a sword fight so traditional being spun around her, Aqua almost couldn't believe it. She felt herself moving fast, her blade a gray blur against the air, and she knew he was having trouble keeping up. She could not question her rage. She didn't even care about the screaming.

She just wanted to destroy him.

Deep in her heart, there was a hatred that never went away.

And this was her punishment for never fully trusting him.

* * *

"Light!" Hope screamed, tackling her to the ground as she rose her gunblade to her head. "Holy shit, Light, stop!"

But Lightning could not hear him. She only heard screams. Poor, pitiful screams, children whispering their pleas, and she couldn't take it. She really couldn't. She gritted her teeth, pushing the boy away, kicking him square in the face. She had no qualms for anyone here. No one other than herself, that was. She flicked the blade out, her rage boiling in her veins. She wanted this to hurt.

"Lightning!" Hope screeched, blood streaming from both his nostrils and into his mouth. "Light, oh, god, stop!" He stumbled to his feet, jumping up to grab at her blade. But he wasn't tall enough in the least. Lightning elbowed him away, and he crashed to the ground beside his rifle. He gasped as he was overrun by little blue monsters.

There was chaos all around them. But Lightning didn't notice. She could see nothing but her fate gleaming in the light of the midday sun, and she heard nothing but the never ending agony of the children, those poor little children. She was ready to die. She moved her blade swiftly, attempting to plunge it into her brain, but her wrist was caught on something strong.

She growled under her breath. She did not flinch when she felt her wrist being twisted rather painfully, but she began to spat swears, struggling to set herself free. She just wanted to end all of this. Her rage intensified with every passing moment. She felt everything around her begin to slip, and she wondered if she'd ever be able to escape this madness.

"Light!" cried the man who was keeping her from driving her blade into her brain. "Light, what the hell is wrong with you? Stop doing this!"

Lightning sensed him, though she could not see him clearly, and whipped her leg up to whack him in the head. It worked rather well, and his grip loosed on her. However, he gave her wrist one last twist, and she let out a shrill cry, her gunblade slipping between her fingers. She stumbled back, cradling her broken wrist in her left hand, gaping slightly. Her rage was still firm, but she felt… more in touch with her surroundings now. She blinked down, her eyebrows furrowing.

"That was not polite," she sneered down at Snow, scooping up her blade in her left hand, her broken one going limp at her side.

"Shit!" the man grunted, scrambling to his feet. "Light, stop. Just stop!"

"Don't call me Light," Lightning hissed, her rage shifting a little toward Snow. What an annoying little pest. She should just… crush him?

Her eyes widened, and she flung her gunblade away. "Oh, god…" she gasped, her heart thumping, anger pumping viciously in her veins. "I…"

"Light?"

"Don't call me Light!" she snapped, in her minds eye lurching forward and digging her fingers into his neck, snapping it back easily. She blinked profusely, and stumbled backwards. "Oh shit, oh shit…"

"Lightning, stop it!" Hope screamed at her. "Just stop! Don't move!"

Lightning's eyes flashed toward Hope, and she backed away, clutching her broken wrist. Snow stared down at her, his entire face stricken, and frightened. He knew that if Lightning was loosing it, they were all doomed. "Lightning…" he gasped, raising his hands above his head. "What's going on?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, her racing and thumping with her anger. "I don't…" she hissed through her teeth. "I don't know. I have no clue." She felt her hands begin to quiver, her blood roiling with her wrath. She wanted to tear at something, rip everything to shreds, mostly herself, and she was just so angry… She didn't know why. She couldn't place it. She just wanted to die, because she was… so horrible. She hated herself. Hate. Hate. Bitter, and filling her eyes with tears of fury, her hate escalated. Everything was so despicable, she just wanted to…

"End it all," she hissed through her teeth her left hand moving slowly, shakily to the pack that was buttoned to her thigh. Hope shouted something incomprehensible through the blood in his mouth, and Snow simply stared. He shook his head slowly as she popped open the pocket, and reached inside, withdrawing a small knife.

"Light, no…" Hope gasped, sputtering as blood spattered his lips. He beat off the blue monsters with the butt of his rifle. "Stop, please…"

Lightning clicked some kind of button, and the knife sprang open, the blade flashing in the sunlight. Her face was gaunt, and rather frightened, more so than Hope had seen in years. But mixed in with that fear was utter wrath, and hatred, something he wasn't sure about. It was genuine, but… there was something off about it. Hope scrambled forward and launched himself at the woman, grabbing her wrist and attempting to pry the knife from her fingers. Lightning growled lowly and took a swipe at the boy. Hope gasped, blood spurting from his mouth as her knife slashed through the skin of his palm, leaving more blood to run fast down his hand and arm, hot, and rather sticky.

"Light…" Hope whispered, his eyes flicker up at her. She was poising herself to strike her head again. "God dammit…"

Hope jumped out of the way as Snow came barreling toward her, and her eyes flashed. She flicked her blade away from her head and readied herself for him. He tackled her, and she clutched her knife, her anger becoming too much to handle, and the screaming, the wailing of children, it made her break. So she shoved the blade of the knife into him, sliding it easily into his skin as if she was cutting butter.

* * *

"Aqua," Ven sobbed, finally falling to his knees. "Just stop. Please."

Aqua's eyes flashed to Ven, and she was almost broken out of her rage. But no, it was not that simple. Aqua hissed through her teeth, not quite ready to release her magic against Vanitas, because then he'd start too, and it would be a full out battle between Light and Darkness. She growled softly to herself and kicked upward, flipping backwards. Her foot missed his chin by about an inch, and he slid back, his eyes glinting wildly.

Aqua stood beside Ven, her fury never ceasing, but still, she felt a little guilty. She placed her hand on the boy's shoulder, and he groaned as he was enveloped in a soft green light. "Aqua," he whispered, grabbing her hand. "Please don't do this."

Aqua blinked slowly, and she felt her anger lessen. She held his hand for a moment, her eyes flickering upward to Vanitas, who was standing there, unmoving, tapping his blade against the tile impatiently. He was not attacking. In all her rage, she could not determine why. And it bothered her. Aqua squeezed Ven's hand, and for a moment she remembered that she did not want this, before her bitter hatred returned.

"Ven," she said through gritted teeth. "Go find Naminé."

Ven stared up at her, his eyes closing. He didn't look as bad as he did before, but in his bright blue eyes, there was something missing. It was as if a light had been crushed behind them. He took a deep breath and grasped her hand in both of his, burying his face in it. Aqua blanched as she felt his hot tears tickle her skin.

"Aqua, please don't kill him," Ven gasped, "just don't, please."

Aqua stared at her younger friend, who was really not much younger than her at all, and she felt her heart break a little. She didn't want to be angry. She didn't want this. She… didn't know what was happening to her. Her anger was getting the better of her. No, more than that, her anger was _taking over her_. She felt unbelievably frightened for a good moment, before her rage came back with a sting.

"Just go, Ven!" she snapped, glaring down at the boy. He stared at her, his eyes watering a little, before he jumped to his feet and glowered down at her.

"Aqua, if you kill him," he hissed, spinning on his heel, "I will end all of this."

Aqua didn't know or care what that meant. She turned on Vanitas, her eyes ablaze, and she held her blade with a vice grip, her teeth baring. She was ready to destroy the son of a bitch. She stepped forward, and he cocked his head to the side, rolling his eyes upward.

"Alright," he said softly. "Come and get me."

Aqua raised her hand to the sky, feeling her magic gather in the palm of her hand, and she jumped up, sending a flash of light spiraling toward him. He leapt forward, slicing through it with flash of darkness moving about him like a shroud, and his blade collided hard against hers. She growled, her eyes meeting his, and she felt her anger spike.

"This is pitiful!" he laughed, putting more pressure on his blade, and she gasped, feeling her hand cramp up. "I expected so much more from you."

"Shut up!" she cried, kicking him backwards. He was sent flying, his black from spinning in the air before he managed to balance himself and drop down. He smirked, and despite the obvious scratches that marred his pale face, and the blood that caked his flesh, he was still rather attractive. In a way that made Aqua's spine tingle. She didn't understand.

"You know, you're kind of awful, you know that?" He asked spinning on his heel as she lunged at him, her blade smashing against his.

She wanted him to die. She really did. There was something inside her that screamed to see his blood smear the pure white tile, and to wipe that smirk off his face until there was nothing left but bone and shreds of flesh. It was crazy, and sort of frightening, but she felt so passionately with her hatred, and could not be faked. This kind of emotion was too raw to be simulated. She knew this, and she understood that this was it, this was how it was all going to end.

She was going to kill Vanitas.

And that was fate.

* * *

Ven crashed through the halls, tears hot in his eyes. Aqua was wrong. She was just _wrong_. There was something wrong with her head! Or maybe it was her heart? Ven didn't know, but he understood, and it scared him deeply. He didn't want Aqua to feel the way he had felt that morning, consumed with hatred and fury. It was horrible to go through, and it was even more horrible to try and stop. Once enveloped by anger, one could only hope to break from its iron grip.

Ven stopped, his heart thudding hard in his ears as he reached the stairwell. He had to go up. It was a gut feeling, but it could only be true. Up was the way. But… why was he turning into the courtyard, then? He was a little confused and lost when he stumbled into the disaster, his eyes dazed as he looked around slowly. He spotted Zack, who was bleeding profusely in the head area, but still fighting nonetheless, and Cloud, who was supporting his friend whenever the man wobbled on his feet.

And then there was Xehanort, dancing like a goddamn ballerina. Ven gritted his teeth. But no, it wasn't Xehanort who held Ven's wrath.

Ven felt his heart drop as his blood boiled, and screams resonated in his ears.

Oh. So this was what it was.

The rage was there. It had been there for a little bit. He had just quelled it until he felt like he was about to burst.

He stepped forward slowly, his fists clenched. He didn't want to. He didn't want to be so angry. But his molars grinded against one another, and he felt his Keyblade appear in his right hand. He'd destroy everything if it meant getting his revenge.

Revenge? He understood he was acting crazy. He didn't want this.

But he swept forward anyway, smashing an attack from Xehanort back at him, and spinning on his heel so he was facing the man. His eyes flashed, his heart hammering against his chest, and _oh_ his face made Ven want to rip chunks of his hair out! Ven felt himself growling, but he wasn't sure if it was genuine. He was angry, truly, but this… he felt that it was too much. He did not want this! He didn't want to hurt anyone!

And yet he did. He honestly did, and it was tantalizing to imagine destroying the fuel to his wrath, ripping it to shreds and feeding it to ravaging wolves. But he didn't want to, wasn't that it? His body was moving on its own, and he couldn't catch it, he simply couldn't. He was stuck in his own mind, rage blinding him, as he stepped forward and snarled.

"Ven?" Terra asked, his eyes widening in that disgusting, plastic look of surprise. Ven felt his arm speed like a bullet, and inwardly he gasped at the impact, pain shooting up his arm as his knuckles connected with Terra's jaw. Terra stumbled backwards, gaping a little. "Ven!"

But Ven was not done. He spun his leg, roundhouse kicking his friend in the head, sending him crashing to the ground. "What the hell, Ven!" Terra gasped, spitting blood onto the cobble stone. "What's wrong with you?"

"You are," Ven hissed, brandishing his Keyblade like an executioner's axe as he neared Terra. Terra stared up at him, his eyes going so wide, he looked suddenly like a small, lost child, blood and dirt caking his disheartened and terrified face.

Terra cried out as Ven slashed his blade across the man's stomach, satisfactory chilling his roiling blood, and he laughed, shaking his head. "I can't," Ven snarled, "_believe_ you hid it from me!"

"What?" gasped Terra. "Oh, god, Ven, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Ven rolled his head back, slamming a foot against Terra's abdomen, making him scream in pain, blood pooling around Ventus's foot. "I feel so fucking _fine_, Terra, I mean, wow, maybe I should've taken up being a _murderer _a long time ago!" Ven sneered, raising his blade to Terra's cheek, and smacked him hard. A long, deep scratch appeared on his flesh, and Terra blinked up at Ven, hurt and betrayal glowing in his horrified gaze. "We could've been partners, slaughtering children, maiming innocents. That'd _so _be us, right?"

"Ven," Terra whispered. "I… you're not a murderer, Ven, stop this!"

"I can't even believe you," Ven snapped, his cool, calm anger that was considered the usual completely gone, replaced with a wrath so wracking, it made him want to break into sobs. "You think that I would really be fine with this? I know what Red Men are, you asshole, I lived here for most of my life!" Ven squeezed his eyes shut, flashes of faint memories, far off laughter, wonderful, heartfelt smiles. They felt like unrealistic dreams, aesthetic and simple. But dreams were in the way.

"I can't explain," rasped Terra. "But let me try to anyway. Please, Ven, this isn't you!"

"Oooh, god!" Ven threw his head back and laughed. "'This isn't me,' you say? How would you like me to act?" Ven continued to laugh, hysterically as if someone had told him the most humorous joke in the entire world. "A bubble headed freak who can't control his fucking emotions because of all his mental issues? Okay, guess what, _I'm still him_, so deal with it!" Ven felt his blade smash repeatedly against Terra's face, and he heard distant laughter. It was his own.

But someone else had joined in, making Ventus freeze. He turned slowly, glaring at Xehanort, who was sitting on a fallen column looking highly amused. "I'm trying to have a chat with my dear friend," Ven growled.

"Is that it?" said the man, his deep voice rumbling, rather odd looking coming out of Riku's boyish body. Master Xehanort was ancient, and his voice itself trembled like ruins about to collapse. It wasn't too hard to realize who it was inside that mask of youth. "Why, I thought you were trying to kill my dear nephew. By all means, _carry on_."

"Ven…" Terra whispered, his voice quivering. "Oh, god, Ven, stop, please…"

"Nope," Ven snickered, twirling his blade. "No thanks. I'm kinda not in the mood to listen to assholes like you, you know?" He licked his lips, his bright blue eyes flickering toward the sky. "Oh god, Terra, you kept this from me for so many years, didn't you? Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!" Ven clutched his chest as he laughed manically, his face turning red from the lack of air. "Oh— gosh— I— really— hate— you— ha!"

"Ven!" cried Zack, his eyes wide. "What the hell are you doing?"

The laughing ceased easily, and Ven breathed normally, brushing some sweaty hair out of his eyes. The cool winter wind blew anxiously at his face, nipping him with a chill. Ven cocked his head to the side, a lazy smile playing on his lips as his eyes danced toward Zack. "Oh, nothing!" he chirped. "Trying to figure out why my best friend hid the fact that he was a killer for all these years." His smile was feral, and the way his teeth were set against each other, he looked like a snarling panther.

"Ven, I did…" Terra coughed, blood splashing onto his already crimson lips. His entire face looked as if it had been mauled by the claws of a bear. "I didn't… want you to…"

"To what, exactly?" Ven took a deep breath, his head pounding in his storm of fury. "To flip all of my shit like this? I wasn't that crazy back then, was I? _Fuck_, Terra!" Tears of anger sprung from the corner for Ven's eyes, and he felt completely blinded my his utter hatred.

Ven breathed in deeply, and brought his Keyblade upward, his knees buckling.

Did he really want this?

He asked himself this in his head, his voice screaming in unison with the wails of anguish. And for a moment Ven snapped. He heard past the cacophony, and listened, his heart speeding up at the familiarity. He knew the voice that echoed louder than all the others, and he knew it so well, he wanted to cry. She was calling to him, wasn't she? The girl with eyes like ice, and impulsive and erratic as a volcano. Wasn't she what he was here for, anyway? He didn't hate Terra. What was he doing?

But he snapped right back into gear, dizzied for a moment, his eyes fluttering open and closed in utter confusion. He could hear distant shouting from Zack, and possibly Cloud, but what did he care? Cloud was too busy to stop him, and Zack was too far away to risk trying to move over to Ven to stop him. But he tried, his feet moving against the concrete, his mouth moving rapidly in a shout of words Ven didn't care to catch. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xehanort move from his perch on the pillar, brandishing his Keyblade delicately.

Ven moved his blade, ready to get rid of all his problems, all his worries, because how could they not go away after all of this? What did he have to lose? There was nothing to say, nothing to really do except act on his hatred. And so Ven did.

Terra's pleas were drowned by the sound of her screaming. Ven felt tears slip from his eyes as he brought back his blade, ready to strike his friend down. She was in pain, wasn't she? His heart broke for her. He wanted to help her, be there to hold her hand, be her friend, but…

He was consumed by the hellfire of hatred. And as he swept his Keyblade downward, he heard her voice whisper to him.

_Please…_

And then the world went black.

* * *

Riku coughed, listening to the roar of Naminé's fiery plague. He heard the screams too, the ones other than her own. He didn't know whose they were, but he could guess they were unfortunate cases. Who knew, really. He shielded his eyes, and he wondered if she could hear him. So he called out her name, over and over, hoping to catch her attention. He did not.

He spun to face Xion, who was clutching her chest, coughing a little. Riku was still holding one of her shoulders, and he squeezed it, his eyes ablaze with his anger. She swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I know you're disappointed in me!" she gasped. "But please, I can't explain. I don't know how to fix it, and I don't know what to do. Riku, I'm so alone…"

"You have me!" Riku growled. He squeezed his eyes shut as well, the fire that raged behind them searing his skin. He felt as if his flesh would melt off his bone. "You _always_ had me! You _idiot_!"

Xion began to sob, catching Riku's coat with her pale fingers, her tears streaming down her face. "Oh, god, Riku," she coughed, shaking her head. "I was scared! I'm always scared, and selfish! Isn't that… isn't that how I've always been?"

"But you can change that!" Riku grabbed her hands, his teeth bared. "You could've changed! I was always trying to help, hoping you'd figure it out. You can't live your life all alone, but you have to open up to people!"

"Was that supposed to get me anywhere?" Xion murmured, her fingers slipping from his coat. "I thought I could make friends, but it's gotten me nowhere."

"Look at her!" Riku jerked his head back to the flaming girl, whose screams were so shrill, it made him tear up a little. "She let people in, and she was the happiest I've seen… well, _anyone_ in a long, long time!"

"And now she's destroying everything she loved," whispered the black haired girl, wiping her nose. "It's really awfully poetic…"

"Tell me what you did."

Xion bit her lip. "I…" she hiccupped. "I made her… she has powers, and… they… can't really… _make _emotions, it's too beyond her." Her shoulders shuddered. "But she can amplify emotions that are already there. It's… really handy. But she's not quite as good as… as Xehanort wanted, so I had to come and…" Xion gulped. "Take over, I guess…"

"And now she's on fire," Riku hissed. "God, Xion, you messed up big time."

"I hated her!" Xion snapped, "and she hated me! And now… and now… I'm pathetic, right? I didn't know what to do! I had no clue in the world. No one was willing to help me." She broke away from Riku, drifting into the background of the world around them. "The only person who cared enough to give me advice couldn't even follow it himself. Now he's going to die."

"What?" Riku's eyes widened. "Xion, who are you talking about?"

"Like it matters," she murmured, pushing her hair back from her face. "If you still want to know, Naminé is on fire because the strain is too much. All the people in the Light Region being manipulated at once?" Xion laughed shortly. "No one can do that without a mental shove."

"And you shoved her right into a vat of lava." Riku's eyes narrowed at the small girl, who hugged herself, and cried, and he knew loneliness was a thing that could not be fathomed. Xion was the one who knew this well, and it was going to…

"Wait," Riku said slowly. "She… she's making everyone feel… what?"

"Rage," Xion said, her voice clear as day despite her sobs. "Unadulterated rage. Homicidal rage, if you will."

"Oh, god…"

"I was the key," she murmured. "To his master plan, you know? I'm pathetic."

"No," Riku whispered, growling softly to himself. "You're not. Stop saying that."

"It's true."

Riku spun to face Naminé. He took a deep breath, and smiled, drawing his arm back. "Xion, I need you to do something for me."

"What?"

"Leave, and do something for me. You owe me big time for this."

"For…" Xion blinked slowly. "Okay, tell me."

He bent forward, and murmured something quite fast in her eyes. She blinked, stepping away from him. "Wait," she gasped. "But… Riku…"

"Thank you," he said, nodding to her. "Let's see this to the end, okay?" He smirked down at her, and offered her his free hand. She looked down, more tears forming in her sky blue eyes, and she grabbed it, wiping her eyes and nodding.

"I'm such a fool…" she said softly to herself.

Inside Riku's palm, something gathered. Xion had no idea if magic could be used in this world, but Riku willed it, and so it was done. She squeezed his hand, not knowing if she'd ever feel the warmth of his touch again, and she smiled sadly as he flung the ball of magic, watching it spiral in the air and crash against the girl on fire.

Xion screamed, the blast sending both her and Riku flying backwards, their hands interlocked still. But as the cold and whiteness enveloped her, her fingers slipped, and she felt her heart stop. She hated herself for all of this.

Her eyes snapped open, and she gasped slightly. Riku had… fixed it, hadn't he?

And now she had to repay him.

* * *

_HOLY CRAP, GUYS, I WON MY BET._

_How? I don't even know. I was just REALLY into the next chapter, and you'll see why. Um, anyway, THIS IS WEAR XION BECOMES THE GAME!NAMI, I MEAN SERIOUSLY, HOLY SHIT._

_School tomorrow. So, I have to quickly memorize a Soliloquy, and I've got the first five lines done, but then there's the next like, seven, so I'm screwed. Also, I need to Beta Read (I FEEL SO BAD, I GOT THIS CHAPTER LIKE A WEEK AGO AND I HAVEN'T EDITED IT, I REALLY SUCK AT BETAING, OMG.), and do a Health report. I SUCK AT EVERYTHING CAN IT JUST BE SUMMER ALREADY, FUUUUUUU-_

_I'm starting to see some major lags in reviews. O.O I mean, like, wow. I think I got like, one last chapter? Or two? I don't know. It makes me incredibly depressed, but I'm not going to get crazy with the story because of it. I'm finishing this thing the way I want, and I don't really need reviews to tell me how far I can go. This story is eighty three chapters long so far (including the one I just wrote), and I know it's kind of agonizingly slow, so sorry._

_But I really appreciate those of you who have stuck through all of this to the end. =] I'll make an actual dedication when I get to the last chapter. _

_Next Chapter: Blind Heartache_

* * *

"Zack?" Kairi rose slowly to her feet. "You mean, Zack Fair? He's… he's a soldier. He's one of the best! Master Eraqus trained him himself!"


	83. Blind Heartache

**White Knight: Eighty Three :Blind Heartache**

Aqua froze, her blade pressed against Vanitas's and she stared at him for a long moment, her eyes going wide as darkness spread across her vision, and the hilt of her blade slipped from her fingers. She stumbled backwards, her rage turning into complete and utter terror as she collapsed onto her knees, trying desperately to not pass out as a cold, numb feeling swept over her brain.

But she fell, crumpling to the ground at his feet, leaving him rather astonished, and confused, his heart suddenly halting in fear. He stared at her, and for a moment Vanitas felt… rather human. He stared down at Aqua, her light, sapphire tinted hair shining gently in the rays of midday, almost evening sun cast through the stained glass windows. He wondered what it would've been like for him if he had been different. If he had been normal. Could he have changed normally, without the help of Naminé's magic, or was he doomed to always be the one to destroy the happiness of others. Aqua had believed in him, if only for a short period of time. And… Naminé…

Ventus was right. He did care about them. His heart bled for the comfort of affection, and yet he knew well it would bleed out sooner than warmth could console it. Vanitas could say he didn't care, that he hated everything, that he just wanted everything in this world, and the next, to perish in an eternal hellfire that would plague all of humanity until all hope was lost. But he didn't. Wasn't that funny? He didn't want to place his fury upon anyone. Was that why he had not been affected by Naminé's unleash of wrath upon the people of the Light Region? Because he simply did not have enough rage to fuel the fire anymore?

But that was silly. He was tired, and he was sick of it. He knew he had enough hatred, if not for humanity, than for himself, to fuel a thousand fires of rage and destruction. But he did not submit to it. He was used to the screaming of children by now, and listening was not sanity derailing in the least. He could deal. He could live with it. He believed it now, he could come out of this and live, and reform. It was possible.

But then… it was not.

He was laying on his side now, disoriented, and numb. He realized this should've happened before, when the blonde girl had unleashed her power, but she had still been holding on, it seemed. She had his heart in such a tight grip, she refused to let it go. She… that little girl, whom he could call his sister, or maybe even his closest and only friend, had tried to save him when she knew he was doomed.

Stupid, idiotic, selfish little girl.

Everything was numb except for his heart. And he stuttered, his fingers twitching against the shattered marble, and his face pressed against shards of broken glass, and he wished he could forget. He was a selfish boy, it seemed, and he would willingly give up everything, all his emotions and memories, just to stop this pain growing fast in the pit of his chest. He could not scream, and he could not speak, but he cried.

A single tear ran hot over the bridge of his nose, collapsing on the other side of his face and running sideways. Tears shouldn't flow sideways. But here he was, crying, his fingers reaching grasping for anything to hold onto as the pull of humanity stabbed him in the heart, and twisted its saber so he bled his emotions into a river of his own tears.

Twisting and turning, round and round, he listened to the almighty roar of a sun, and a heart, simultaneously collapsing onto itself with the forces of nature pulling it back into oblivion. He stared at nothing, his golden eyes glistening with his tears, and he thought… he could have done better. As a person, as… as a kid, as a friend…

His fingers twitched again, and with as much strength as he could muster, he moved his hand forward, and closed his eyes.

* * *

Lightning was not sure what to expect as her friend collapsed on top of her, his incredible weight pinning her to the ground. She was wide eyed, and deeply angry for a second, before she felt all her anger fade, and her vision blur to black.

But she was too panicked to pass out.

"Oh, shit," she hissed, feeling his blood seep onto her, and she listened as he groaned, hissing through his teeth in pain. His cheek was pressed against hers, and she could hear his breathing, shallow but otherwise fine. "Snow, get your fat ass off me."

"Ow!" Snow growled she pushed him hard in the chest, sending him rolling onto his back. She blinked profusely, trying to bat away the darkness and dizziness of being back to normal. "Lightning, are you okay?"

Lightning sat up and rolled her shoulders, feeling the sticky wetness of blood along the front of her shirt, seeping onto her skin. She ignored it, and rose her hand, her fingers brushing against the bridge of her nose, and flickering against her eyelids. She knew she was blind at the moment, but for how long? Was it permanent? What had happened, anyway? And _wow_, she was tired.

"Idiot," Lightning hissed through her teeth, her fingers slipping from her nose. "I just stabbed you, and you're asking _me_ if _I'm_ okay. Grow a brain."

"Oh, man," he said, his voice panicked. "Sorry, Light. Uh, there's blood all over your…" Lightning's eyebrows raised as she felt his hand come in close proximity to her, and she growled quite loudly and savagely, smacking his hand away with so much force the man yelped.

"Try that again, Snow, and I'll make you swallow your own severed genitals," she snarled, jumping to her feet.

She heard a soft chuckle from beside her, and she blinked slowly to the side. "Hope?" she asked, squinting into the darkness.

"Lightning… you're okay now, right?"

"I'm fine," she sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "Tired."

"Yeah, so is everyone else, apparently."

"What do you mean?"

"Half the population just dropped and fell asleep."

"What?" Lightning spun around confusedly, her eyes flashing, but she saw nothing but utter darkness. "What the hell do you mean, Hope?"

She was panicking. Lightning had no clue why, but she felt her entire persona slip through her fingers, and she shuddered, clapping her hands over her eyes. She didn't know what to do. How could she fight without her sight? "Hope, what about the monsters?"

"They're still here…"

Lightning silently cursed everything the hell, her heart pounding hard in her chest. She took deep breaths, nodding slowly, her hand still pressed tight over her eyes. "Who's awake?" she asked, her tone sharp. She could almost feel Hope cringe.

"Um, you, me, Snow, Tifa, Aerith, and… I guess that's it."

Lightning felt her heart drop. Just Tifa and Aerith? What happened to everyone else? How could everyone just fall asleep? But then, Lightning was feeling incredibly sleepy herself.

"Tifa!" Lightning shouted. "Aerith!"

"Y-yes?" Aerith called this from probably a few yards away.

"Lightning?" This was Tifa, and she was even farther away, sounding quite distressed.

"Okay, there's five of us," Lightning said, breathing hard. "Snow, where did I stab you?"

"Uh…" Snow was right next to her, still sprawled on the ground. Lightning nudged him with her foot, scowling a little. "My shoulder, Light."

This comforted Lightning a little, knowing she didn't get him too badly. "Are you alright?" she asked slowly and cautiously.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He rose to his feet beside her, and she felt him hover there, his presence a bit of a nuisance. "What about _you_?"

"I'm not bothered." She let her hand slip from her eyes. Everything was still black. "Alright, I need this area secure! Form a circle around everyone who is asleep, and beat the monsters off. Do not let anything in!"

There was a small shout of agreement, and Lightning heard the shuffling of feet. She swallowed hard, feeling around her waist for her gunblade, but she knew it wasn't there. She pressed her hand against her head again, her legs wobbling as she stepped forward, blindly moving her feet around the cobble stone. She winced as she stepped on something, something that was not metal, and rather mushy. She jumped back, growling to herself as she hit something hard.

"Light, what are you doing?"

"Don't call me Light," Lightning hissed, shaking him off.

"You're not okay."

"Shut up," Lightning said icily, her head whipping to the side, her eyes flickering from side to side. "Just do what I told you."

"Can you fight?"

"Yes!"

"Well, then grab your blade."

Lightning breathed in sharply through her nose, her eyes going wide, and her eyebrows furrowing. Her eyeballs darted, but she saw nothing. She had no idea where her gunblade was.

"Light, what's wrong?" It was Hope, from a little ways away. He sounded panicked, and worried, and she listened to the sound of gunshots. He was fighting.

"Nothing!" she shouted back to him. "Stay focused!"

"Tell me." Snow was closer to her, and she growled, swiping her fist at him. But she only got air, and her eyes widened as her wrist was grabbed and she was yanked forward. She screamed, clamping her hand over her mouth, tears springing into her eyes before she could force them down. He'd grabbed her broken wrist, the bastard. She fell onto her knees, staring at nothing, her eyes blankly flashing back in forth, desperately searching for light.

"My god, Lightning," Snow whispered. "What's wrong?"

"I…" She gritted her teeth. "I can't see, you asshole, I can't…" She blinked slowly, and her body collapsed.

* * *

Everything was dimming when Ven opened his eyes again. He was curled up behind a pillar, his face pressed against the broken cobble stone. He groaned softly, brushing his dirt infested, bloody hair out of his eyes. What had just happened? He could barely remember. Hadn't he… did he really almost…

He sat up groggily, his exhaustion nearly overpowering him. He really wanted to go back to sleep. But this was a battle field. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood up shakily, his knees nearly giving out beneath him. He looked down, and stared at the person slumped beside him.

"Terra!"

Ven dropped to his knees, grabbing his friend's bloody face. "Terra? Terra, oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Ven's hands quivered as he placed a crimson finger against the man's neck. He breathed a short sigh of relief when he felt a steady pulse. He'd just knocked him out. "Terra? Can you wake up?" Ven bowed his head, pounding gently on his friend's chest. "Please… please wake up, Terra…"

Ven closed his eyes, his mind cramped with memories. He wondered… could he remember how to heal? The flashing images of long past days zoomed around his brain, and all he could think about was Sora. His friend, one of his best buddies, if not the best buddy he had when he was young… killed at Ven's hand… he couldn't get it out of his brain.

But… he'd seen Aqua do it.

He tried to focus, placing his hands flat on Terra's chest, squeezing his eyes shut and breathing slowly. But that did absolutely nothing. He tried to channel his energy, to recall what it was like to summon his Keyblade, the flow of natural magic just pulling him in, reeling him into the path of the universe's design, pushing him toward his fate. But this was so infinitely different. He could feel Terra's heart beating, and yet, he didn't know how to move this energy to start him, and fix his wounds (which would probably kill him, considering the massive loss of blood).

He growled to himself, cracking an eye open. Why wouldn't the stupid magic just work? He'd done it when he'd done the wing blades thingy! Why couldn't he do it for Terra?

He tried to continue focusing, but it was no use, he was not that type of person. He couldn't focus for the life of him. He was beginning to lose hope that he'd be able to do it.

But… he listened. The sounds of battle faded behind him, and he listened. His heart knew what to do, didn't it? It always did.

So Ventus took a deep breath, and he forced himself to believe. Believe that he could heal his friend, believe that he could save Naminé and Kairi, believe that he could help bring this whole thing down. He believed that he was stronger than this, and…

That was really all he needed.

There was a strange warmth. It was strong, and heart wrenching, and it came from the tips of Ven's fingers. His eyes snapped open, and he gaped, the light enveloping Terra's entire body. Ven jumped to his feet, looking up, his head swinging wildly. Xehanort was watching from afar, his Keyblade crashing against Zack's large, strange looking sword. But its wielder was not Zack.

Ven took another tumble backwards. His heart sped up, fear spreading across his body as he felt his stomach stir with nausea. He glanced back at Xehanort, his face, Riku's face, eerily glowing in a sort of glee. The sun was dipping in the sky slightly. Was it past noon already? Was it later than that? Was it nearing nightfall? Ven could not be sure. He did not care. He saw the gleam of deep crimson on Xehanort's gray Keyblade, and he knew.

He ran forward anyway, abandoning Terra, who was now stirring, his face void of cuts (though still rather bloody). He dropped down, his heart thumping hard against his ribcage, and, he pressed his hands against Zack's chest, his fingers sliding against the near black sticky substance that was spread over the man like a liquid blanket.

He felt something break inside him. He tried with all his heart, he believed as much as he could, but he knew he couldn't. He had no faith left. His fingers tightened against the slippery fabric of the man's shirt, and Ven bent his head down, his face pressed against the man's chest, and the metallic smell of blood overwhelming his senses, hitting him like a boulder in the gut. His face was met with the sticky scarlet liquid, and he began to sob.

He never wanted anyone to die. He'd never imagined he'd have to face the reality of death, anyway. But here Zack was, with a hole larger than Ven's head in his stomach, and he was most certainly dead. There was no life in his eyes, and the blue seemed faded. It reminded him bitterly of the hole he'd made in Sora, and the more Ven sat there, crying and clutching Zack, he realized Zack was similar to Sora. They both had a personality about them, like they could be happy through anything. Their eyes were even similar.

Even in death.

It had been his fault too, now that he thought back on it. He'd been attacking Terra, and… hadn't Zack… tried to stop him? But Zack had been injured, so he couldn't really fight too well. And Xehanort had been… right there… waiting…

Zack had no chance.

Ven didn't want to do this anymore.

* * *

Aqua was drifting. Her mind told her things she didn't want to hear. Her weakness, her inability to help anyone, always making situations worse. She was awful at fighting, and she was leading two boys on, both whom she really did care about. Though she still had a grudge against one of them…

She felt herself fall, and she screamed, but there was no sound, and she found herself terrified. Spiraling into the depths of the abyss, with nothing to hold on to, she screamed, and screamed, until she slammed against the ground with a force that left her dizzy. But now there was no more darkness. Just blurry light, all obscured by her sleepiness. She blinked slowly, her haze withdrawing, giving her an onslaught of bright white light. The sun was casting shadows into the throne room, it seemed.

She took a deep breath and groaned, moving her arm to rub her eyes. But there was something attached the her hand.

She moved her head to the side, her eyes widening as she met the stunning molten gold color that seared through her skin and stared into her soul. She looked down at her hand, and tried to remove his claws from it, but it was no use. He was squeezing it like she was his lifeline.

"Vanitas," she whispered, swallowing hard. "Please let go of me."

He stared at her, his eyelids drooping a little. He then squeezed his eyes shut, giving his head a little shake. Aqua gritted her teeth in anger. She pushed herself to her knees and pulled on her arm, placing her hand on top of his to remove the grip.

"No," he whispered, his voice hoarse, almost pain filled. "Just… please… let me hold onto something…"

Aqua stared down at him, her mouth slowly dropping open. He was laying limply on his side, and his legs were… well, Aqua didn't know how to describe it. They were half gone, enveloped by shadow. Her eyes flickered from his legs to his face, and back again. She was breathing fast now, her own hand tightening around his as she nodded quickly.

"Okay," she murmured, squeezing her own eyes shut tight. "Okay, just hold onto to me, don't let go."

"I wasn't…" he wheezed, smirking a little. "I wasn't really… planning on it…"

"Good." She breathed, and smiled. "I… um…" She placed her free hand on his chest, closing her eyes. "Here, let me help you."

But when she summoned her magic, it did not do a thing. She blinked, staring at her hand, her eyes widening with fear and shock. "What…?" she gasped, pressing her hand harder against Vanitas's chest. "No way!"

"Yeah…" Vanitas chuckled, "you can't heal me… sucks, right…?"

"Oh, god," she hissed, clamping her teeth down on her tongue. She knew what was coming up. She could tell by the way he was looking at her. She dug her fingers into his skin tight suit, dipping her head low. "Please, please, please work…"

"It won't." He said this solidly, and it frightened the hell out of her.

"It will," she growled, a droplet of water plopping onto the shattered tile. "I swear to you, Vanitas, I'm not going to let you go like this."

"No, you won't, will you?"

Aqua froze, her heart stopping. She let out a little breath of air shakily, her fingertips sliding from his chest. "Oh."

* * *

"Ven."

Ven didn't raise his head when he felt the weight on his shoulder. He wanted to just collapse and sleep again, but this time, he didn't want to wake up, not ever. Sora was… Sora was one thing, Ven had killed him, and he realized now it would've been hard to prevent that. Sora had practically been leaping at Ven's spear. But Zack… he never had to die. He really didn't. If Ven had just controlled his temper, he would've been fine. But… he was dead.

"Ven, you… you have to get up now, okay?" Terra pulled him to his feet, and Ven fought all the way. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, and he pushed Terra away, stumbling backwards and rubbing his eyes frantically. His forehead was completely red, as was the entire left side of his face. The tip of his nose was smeared with a pinkish scarlet, and his lips and chin were speckled with flecks of crimson and caked with maroon. The tips of his spiky bangs were painted with blood.

"Get away," Ven gasped, flailing his arms a little. "Oh, god…"

"Ven…" Terra said steadily, ducking a blast of Darkness. "I know it's hard to look at. So don't. Please, Ven, don't panic."

"Easy for you to say!" Ven spun around, his brain on overdrive. He didn't want to think, but he had to. He had to calm down. But he couldn't. It was so hard to breathe, and he felt so, so idiotic. He wished for sanctuary.

"Ven, stop!" Terra cried, grabbing the boy's wrist. Ven's hands were bright red, from his fingertips to a little past his wrist. "You just… healed me, right? Thank you. I… don't know how you got a Keyblade, but thank you."

"I beat the shit out of you!" Ven tore his arm from Terra's grip, beating the tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand. His vision was a little red. "Don't thank me. Just let me go! I shouldn't even be here!" He gagged a little, and spat some of Zack's blood out of his mouth. "I need to find Kairi, and Naminé. And… and Xion, I guess, I don't even know what's up with her."

Terra stared at Ven, his cobalt blue eyes growing so wide, Ven glanced away, folding his arms across his chest. He looked like he had just stepped out of a slaughter house, his shirt ripped to shreds, and blood masking most of his face, and cover his hands like gloves. He looked crazy, crazier than anyone Terra had ever seen, and the man had seen a lot of crazy.

But he nodded slowly, summoning his Keyblade. "Okay," Terra said, his voice hoarse. "You go. I'll fight."

Ven's eyes flickered up at Terra, and he attempted a smile. But it turned out to be a horrifying grimace, his teeth baring beneath the blood caking his skin. He turned slowly, and Terra shouted after him, "Be careful, Ven! Don't die!"

Ven turned a little, and nodded solemnly. "You too," he called, his voice deadpan, and he ran, jumping over pillars, and dodging Xehanort, still ever fast like a bullet. He fled into the mansion, never looking back, and he climbed the stairwell, pushing himself as hard as he could, his eyes widening as a blur of red came barreling into him, sending him flying back. Luckily he grabbed onto the railing, and managed to make himself slip forward instead of back. Unluckily, he landed right on top of the girl who had ran in to him.

"Ow!" she cried, pushing him away from her. "Dammit… Roxas, what the hell are you doing?" She rose to her feet, kicking him gently onto his back. "Oh, wow, are you okay? That's a lot of blood."

Ven groaned, and spat some more blood out of his mouth. He looked up at the girl, and his eyes widened. Because she… looked a lot like Naminé. Really, her face had the same delicate features as his dear blonde friend, and the same flushed pink lips, and button nose, and vibrant blue eyes. The difference was that this girl… his old friend, Kairi, she had hair that curtained her shoulders like a waterfall of blood. It was kind of eerie to Ventus, who had been through a little too much in the past few hours.

"Kairi," Ven whispered, rising to his feet. The girl cocked her head to the side, her sleek red hair falling with her.

"Yeah," she giggled, pushing him playfully. "What's up? Looking for me?"

Ven stared at her, and nodded slowly. She smiled brightly, and Ven felt his heart jump. She smiled like Naminé did, when she was acting sane. "Well," Kairi said, shrugging a bit. "Here I am, safe and sound. Uh, I actually have a headache, but that's because Riku knocked me out." She pursed her lips in irritation, and rubbed the back of her head. "I'm going to beat the shit out of that goddamn prince when I get my hands on him. I don't care if it was his birthday yesterday, he's being such a jerk! He tied me up and everything, see!" Kairi thrust her hands into Ven's face, and Ven blinked, indeed noticing the angry red burns around her wrists.

"About Riku…" Ven said softly.

"Oh," Kairi grabbed his hands, and grinned widely. "Hey! Are you staying home for good, now, Rox'? Because Sora and I have really missed you. I mean, I know you went to go find Ven, and all, and gosh, I'm glad you're alive— oops, I should've mentioned that first, shouldn't I have?" She chewed on her lower lip, and her eyes rolled upward as she made a soft huffing noise. "I'm so stupid…"

Ven's stomach froze over at the mention of Sora. He had to tell her. He had to actually tell her. And this couldn't wait. She was going down the steps _now. _She'd see him.

"Kairi, I'm not Roxas," Ven blurted, pulling his hands from hers. She blinked profusely, her eyes snapping open wide.

"Oh." She looked him up and down real quick, and her eyes grew even wider. "Oh, wow."

"Yeah." Ven swallowed, closing his eyes. "Um… can you tell me exactly what happened to you just now?"

"Huh?" Kairi snapped out of her daze, and she nodded slightly, sliding down onto the steps. "Yeah, of course, Ven." She smiled up at him. "I woke up in my room a few minutes ago, and I was being untied by this girl. I think she was Xion? I don't know, from the way Riku described her, it looked a whole lot like her. And then the girl told me to run, and I pretty much just bolted it out of there." She shrugged again. "I needed to find Sora. He got separated from me this morning. Why are you all bloody?"

"I…" Ven sighed. "Oh, god… this is really hard to say."

"What?" Kairi's eyes flashed up to him. "Why? What happened?"

"It was… well, this is all, um…" Ven swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut. "All Zack… but…"

"Zack?" Kairi rose slowly to her feet. "You mean, Zack Fair? He's… he's a soldier. He's one of the best! Master Eraqus trained him himself!"

Ven vaguely wondered where the Light Region Master was, but he was too busy trapped in his own thoughts to worry too much about it. "Yeah," Ven said softly. "He was… a really nice guy. I wish I could've known him better."

Kairi looked down at her hands, wringing them together anxiously. This was a trait that also reminded him of Naminé. "It's happening, isn't it?" Kairi whispered. "The Dark Region is finally attacking."

"Yeah," Ven whispered.

"And… Riku…" She gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing away. "He chose his side, huh?"

"No," Ven breathed, shaking his head quickly. "Riku is Light Region to boot, Kairi. But… his body, it's…"

"Stolen."

Ven's head shot up, the sharp, clear voice panging with his memories. He stared up the stairwell as the girl walked slowly down the steps, her black eyebrows furrowed, and her teeth gritted. Ven stepped forward, pushing past Kairi, and he quickly ascended the stairs, stepping behind the black haired girl and gently taking his blonde friend from behind her back.

"Xion…" Ven whispered. "You… just carried her down? All by yourself."

Xion smiled a little, and nodded. "I'm changing my life, Ventus," she said, taking a deep breath. "And I'm starting with Naminé. I want to help her."

"Uh," Kairi shrieked, waving her arms. "What the hell do you mean? About Riku? His body?"

"Stolen," repeated Xion as Ven cradled Naminé in his arms. She looked as if she was sleeping, her pale face peaceful, and her chest rising and falling easily. He smiled at her, feeling his heart warm suddenly, and his previous hysterical episode slipped away into the flow of his memories. Because she was okay.

"Thank you, Xion," Ven said, smiling genuinely down at the black haired girl. She glanced up at him, and smiled softly back.

"Kairi," Ven said suddenly, his head shooting up. Kairi stared at him, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears, and her eyes widened. "I need to tell you something that… you're not going to like."

* * *

_Zack is the second victim of my slaughter fest. Yay. I'm sad I didn't get to kill him on screen, but having it in Cloud's point of view would've been a bother. _

_Once Upon a Time is on! Oh, my next story will be up in around two chapters. Sadly I had to push back the point in this story where I decided was going to be the big "OMG I AM ALMOST DONE" back, so it might be longer than I planned, but it's soon._

_Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, and thank you everyone who reviewed last chapter! I know it's confusing, like, MAJORLY so, but yeah, um, bear with me!_

_That is all for today. Toodles, children, and review if you can? _

_Next Chapter: Four Little Thieves_

* * *

"Be careful what you wish for," warned Hope with a short laugh. "You could be next! Another person asleep would kill us!"


	84. Four Little Thieves

**White Knight: Eighty Four :Four Little Thieves**

Once Ventus thought his life was simple. It was easy, and quant, and he could live with it. But now he was stuck in this long, never ending rut of disaster, and grief. And telling Kairi about Sora was the worst of it. He managed to keep himself cool— he'd already broken down once in the last twenty minutes, he knew he had to wait at least an hour before all mental stability slipped through his fingers. But it was the most awful thing he'd ever had to do to anyone. The look on her face as he slowly explained grew into utter horror and confusion and disbelief.

Xion leaned against the banister and listened, her head bowed, as Ven spoke slowly, his voice very low. "I… I'm so sorry, Kairi, but… he's dead."

Kairi's hands flew to her mouth, but she was already murmuring, "You're wrong…"

"I'm sorry."

Xion took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She didn't know how she was supposed to react. She didn't know Sora, but she knew about him from Riku. Riku would be devastated. But… did it even really matter now?

"Please," Kairi gasped, tripping as she stepped back, her foot catching on the step behind her. She fell backwards, and Ven yelped, dropping Naminé's legs, and grabbing her hand. She managed to catch herself, and balance back onto her feet while her eyes widened to an indescribable size. "No, please. Just say you're wrong."

Ven took a deep breath and set Naminé down gently on the steps, her head lolling to the side. Ven glanced up at Kairi, who was gripping the banister with white knuckles, her eyes welling with tears. And the blond boy shook his head. "I'm sorry, Kairi," he whispered softly. "He's dead."

Ven wondered if it was possible to just turn your emotions off. He never thought about it, but there were people, like Lightning, who could put aside their emotional qualms and live with it. Ven wished to be like this. It would be easier to not feel the sting of grief, and the ever sucking black hole of guilt that spiraled in his heart. As Kairi sat down on the steps and cried silently, he realized he couldn't relate. Sora had been so much closer to her than to Ven. Ven could barely call the boy a friend anymore, considering he'd forgotten about his existence until very, very recently.

Ven and Xion stood there, staring at the red head as she buried her face in her hands and began to sob. They shared a look, one that suggested they knew how the other was feeling, awkward, and deeply saddened. Xion closed her eyes, and the look that crossed her face was a sharp flash of utter turmoil and fear, before she opened her eyes again and became calm once again. Ven nodded slowly. This was it, wasn't it?

"Where's Master Eraqus," Ven whispered to the black haired girl, whose eyes flickered to him. Her eyes widened for a moment, and she glanced away fast. Ven felt his heart drop. "Xion?" he hissed, looking to Kairi, who had not looked up at this point. "What happened to him?"

"Not now," she said quietly, bowing her head. "She doesn't need to know right now."

"He's dead too—oo, isn't he?" Kairi's voice was high, and shrill, her words slightly broken apart by sobs, and sharp gasps. "Oh my god…"

"No!" Xion shook her head, and placed her hand on the banister, her fingers quaking. "No, he's… he's alive, I think. I just don't think you'd want to see him right now, that's all."

Kairi looked up at Xion sharply, her eyes wide, and red, and puffy, tears glistening inside them, turning the gentle blue hue of her irises to glass. "No," she growled, jumping to her feet. "Bring me to him! If he's still alive… he can help, I know he can!"

Her determination threw Ven off, but he realized the Master was… probably the only person she really had left at the moment. Sora being dead, and Riku controlled by Xehanort… she had no one. Ven turned to Xion as she opened her mouth, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Let's go find him," Ven said, nodding to her. She looked at him, startled.

"But—" she gasped, shaking her head. "It's… it's not pretty, Mister Ventus, not at all."

"I don't care!" Kairi snapped, wiping her eyes with a sharp flick of her wrist. "If he's still alive, I'm not going to let him die! He can_ help_!"

Xion's eyes widened, and she backed up against the banister. Ven folded his arms across his chest and shook his head. "Come on, Xion. If he's alive, we have to go find him."

Xion glanced at him, her face relaxing slightly, and she nodded a little. "Yes," she murmured, "alright. But be prepared."

* * *

"Lightning!" Hope cried, spinning around to stare at her. He looked terrified, his rifle gripped tightly in his hands, his knuckles white. The woman had fallen, her body yet another thing to protect as things got bad. Hope looked up at Snow, who was staring at Lightning with wide eyes, his lips half forming her name. Hope turned around fast as he heard Aertih cry out, and he flicked the safety back on his rifle, shooting a fast round of bullet down upon the mass of blue monsters gathering around them. They writhed as fire engulfed them, and some screeched a little as they fell and died into a small puff of wispy smoke.

Tifa kicked a few of the odd little monsters into the air, and Hope aimed for them, shooting his magical bullets and watching as they caught fire, screaming loudly and falling fast to the ground. Hope felt himself move in a panicked motion, kicking and shooting the monsters, while trying to keep his focus and not screw anything up. He didn't know what was happening, and he was scared, sweat dripping down his forehead, his ashen hair sticking to his skin uncomfortably, and the chilly air slapping against his face.

Aerith whacked a few of the blue monsters away with her staff, but Hope felt that he was doing the most damage. Fists and spears didn't do too much, not compared to a rifle that shot fire.

"I want to know what the hell is going on!" Hope shouted over his bullets, his despair reaching a breaking point.

"I don't know!" Tifa shouted back to him, punching a blue thing back, and sending it flying. Hope aimed and shot, watching as the bullet struck the little thing hard, and it burst into flames, screeching all the way down before it dispersed into a cough of darkness. "But hang in there, Hope! You're doing great!"

"Okay," he whispered, taking a deep breath as he shot, and moved, and tried as hard as he could to keep the monsters away from the bodies of his fallen comrades. Lightning was down now. Hope needed to be strong, and considering the circumstances, he needed to be the strongest. He had the most powerful weapon, and everyone else was kind of just keeping the monsters from getting to the mass pile of bodies. He was killing them. He was the one who had to make sure they stayed away.

And so he did, with all his strength, and the sound of his rifle sent chills down his spine as he watched, one by one, the monsters die in a fiery blast. He felt himself grow tired after awhile, but he couldn't care, or he wouldn't care. He was just trying to be brave, and stick it out. It was difficult, and he was frightened, but he stood his ground, and shot the hell out of anything that came toward him.

"Aerith," he said, turning toward her as he flicked his safety up again after refilling his ammunition. The brunette glanced at him, her staff moving swiftly to block the paths of around half a dozen monsters. "Send them over here!"

"Can you handle all of them?" she gasped, slapping one hard in the head. It went flying into the crowd. "There's way too many!"

"I've got a rifle, Aerith!" Hope cried, shaking his head. "I can handle it!"

"Don't get cocky, kid!" Snow shouted, as he used his fists to block all blue monsters that came his way, manage to hold off the lot of them. That's what happens when you're seven feet tall, Hope guessed.

"Okay!" Aerith shouted, readying herself. "Be careful!" And she then began to toss up as many monsters as she could manage with her staff, smacking them upward towards Hope while they were in midair. Hope brought up his rifle and aimed, his finger on the trigger, and he nodded slowly. He could do this, he reassured himself. He had to.

He shot them all, and he watched as the burned, feeling lost in the sea of chaos around him. He continued to shoot, his mind shutting off eventually. He wondered when everyone would wake up. It had been a little less than ten minutes, as far has Hope could tell. He didn't know if they'd make it too long if they stayed asleep.

"You're doing really good!" Aerith cried to him over the noise, her long brown braid bobbing as she moved her staff like a bat, sending monsters over to him to destroy. There weren't very many left. Hope was feeling proud of himself, and almost relieved it was almost over. He grinned over at Aerith as he burnt a few more blue monsters, half listening to their screams, half wondering why the hell everyone had gone to sleep. There had been fighting between everyone right before, and Lightning had been trying to kill herself… but that was it. Hope didn't understand any of it.

"Thanks, Aerith!" He laughed and shook his head shooting a few more monsters. "I learned from the best, you know!"

"I can see!" she giggled, spinning around to face him as she tossed the last of them over toward him. He aimed, his fingers itching at the trigger. He squeezed it as it came near, and the bang that sounded wasn't as deafening as the last near hundred. The monster fell, fire licking at its tiny blue body, and it cried, and screamed, and Hope sighed. He almost felt bad for it.

"Wow," he said staring down at it as Aerith approached slowly. "Is that seriously it?"

"I guess," Aerith said slowly, frowning as she glanced over at Snow and Tifa. They were tag teaming, beating the shit out of everything that came their way. It was actually quite impressive to see their different martial arts styles come together to make one team of super badassery. It was a much cooler sight than what Hope assumed his fight had been like. Watching a kid shoot a few things wasn't as eye catching as a giant and a pretty lady beating the crap out of monsters with their bare fists (well, they were actually wearing gloves, but the point stands).

"I hope they wake up soon…" Hope whispered, looking down at the bodies littering the street. He understood that more monsters would come eventually. They were all over, after all. He just hoped his friends were up and running when that time came.

"Me too," Aerith sighed, leaning on her staff. "I don't know about you, but I'm totally pooped! I'm kind of jealous of them." She pouted and tapped her staff against the ground. "I could really use a nap right about now."

"Be careful what you wish for," warned Hope with a short laugh. "You could be next! Another person asleep would kill us!"

"Oh, shush," she giggled waggling her finger. "You guys don't need me! I'm just extra baggage. I don't really do much. I can't fight too well, and… well, I'm useless compared to you guys."

"Uh," Hope said, his eyes widening. "No you're not! Did you see what you just did! You totally kicked monster ass, Aerith!"

She looked up at him, her green eyes sparkling with awe. "Really…?" she asked hopefully, her fingers tightening around her staff.

"I couldn't have done it without you, that's for sure!"

Aerith grinned at him, the soft features of her beaming at him. "It's just that…" she sighed, this sigh a little dreamy. "I have a friend here… his name is Zack. He's like…" She took a deep breath, a silly smile appearing on her lips. "He's not like anyone I've ever met before. And he's… well, he's the best fighter I've ever seen. I bet he could fend off a Keyblade wielder, if he wanted to."

"Sounds like a really cool guy." This was true. Hope thought this guy sounded pretty awesome, and he'd heard about him from other members of the Rebellion. He was the best soldier in the Light Region, apparently.

"He is!" Aerith shuffled her feet and bit her lip. "It silly, but… I don't know, I feel like he deserves more of an action girl. Like Tifa, or Aqua. They know how to fight, and I'm kind of just… me. I can make remedies. That's it."

"Um, can I just remind you of how you just basically, like, played baseball with about two dozen monsters as your balls? That was pretty freaking awesome from where I'm standing!"

Aerith looked down, a smile playing on her lips as she giggled. "You think…?" she asked, her eyebrows raising as she leaned back.

"Yeah."

"Thank you," Aerith said, her lips drawing back, and her teeth gleaming against the sunlight as the noon sun began to dip slowly toward the horizon. "You're very nice, Hope, you know that?"

Hope shrugged, and flicked the safety back on on his rifle. "So where is this Zack guy?" Hope asked, looking around. "He should be on the front lines, if he's so good."

"Hmm," Aerith hummed softly. She tapped her lips with her index finger. "Maybe he is."

Hope glanced at her, and she smiled brightly. He nodded, understanding what she meant, and he smiled back. If he was really fighting this battle, he was at the mansion, where Aqua was, fighting Xehanort. Hope felt himself begin to worry a little about the blue haired girl, and about Ven and Naminé, and how they were doing. Hope noticed Aerith's eyebrows furrow as she observed his own face, and Hope tried to push the worry from his mind.

"Are you alright, Ho—" Aerith's words stopped short, and her bright green eyes widened. Hope's eyes widened too. He'd heard the sound clearly, the gut wrenching _shlunk_ of something sharp slicing through flesh. She stared at him for a moment, her staff slipping from her fingers, and her eyes flickered downward. Hope's eyes followed, and he made a noise, a strangled cry that sounding very much like a scared, dying animal.

Four gleaming red spikes were protruding vertically from her stomach, which was growing crimson from the spot where the spikes broke the skin. Hope's eyes flickered up to the girl's face, which was growing pale, and her lips moved slowly, blood trickling from the corner of them, dribbling down her chin as tears pooled in her eyes.

Hope was shocked into silence. The spikes disappeared from Aerith's abdomen, and Hope stared with wide eyes as she began to sway. He dropped his rifled, which fell to the cobble stone with a gentle clatter. She fell forward, and Hope screamed, catching her in his arms, feeling her blood seep onto his chest. He fell to his knees, and stared at her, feeling his own eyes well with tears.

He tried to stop the bleeding with his hand, but it was already too late. Hope didn't understand why her usually bright and shining eyes were already so glossy, because he knew people who'd outlived wounds much more serious than this. But she was quite gone, a trace of her last smile still sitting ghostly on her lips. Hope shook his head slowly, and whispered her name, her blood pooling in his palm.

"Aerith…?" he gasped, a tear slipping from his eye, and running hot down his nose, stinging his numb cheek. His tear fell from the tip of his nose and onto her face. She looked dead. Hope felt himself being yanked back by his heart, and he felt the utter terror and confusion of that day years before, when it had been his mother laying in his arms. She had looked dead too. Some people looked like they were sleeping when they died, or so he'd heard. His experiences kind of debunked this.

Hope looked up when he felt something sharp press against his cheek. He winced as it sliced through his skin, causing his own blood to run hot onto his chilly cheek. There was a woman in front of him, tall, and slender, her lips full and her eyes like a snakes, sharp, and knowing. Her hair was blonde, and slicked back, cropped above her shoulder, and two pieces stuck up above her head, hovering there. In her hands were four very odd looking knives, sharp, and a deep crimson color. She flicked her wrist, and the blood splattered onto the cobble stone.

"Sorry I killed your girlfriend," the woman sneered, "but I'm in a _really_ foul mood!"

* * *

Terra didn't really know how to feel. His whole heart ached for Ven, who was obviously having a really hard time with his own emotions, but at the same time, he felt betrayed. He knew that Ven had a right to hold the Red Man thing against him, but it was too difficult to understand why he'd flipped out over it. Ven had almost killed him. Why was that, he wondered. Of course, there had been a twist of fate somewhere in the stars in the last twenty minutes. Zack was dead. Properly dead, his eyes wide and forever unseeing, and his chest soaked through with so much blood, Terra was sure he'd bled out in seconds.

Cloud was fighting as best he could, but Terra could tell the man was really struggling. He was rather run down and bloody himself, his shirt torn, patches of red glistening against his skin, and his armor was so nicked and worn, it looked like it was about to crack in half. He had blood smeared across his face, his gaze hard, but tired, his teeth gritted as he attacked with such fervor, Terra was awed that a normal person could stand this long against Xehanort. He'd certainly had trouble doing so.

But Cloud was at his breaking point. Terra could see the tears on his face, streaks against the bright scarlet of blood on his cheeks. He felt that this day was becoming too much for everyone. It was time to end all of this, and to stop all the bloodshed once and for all. Terra did not plan on dying, but hell, if it stopped all of the grief around them, he was willing to give all of his hopes, dreams, and ambitions to the stars, and die for a world where everyone could at least be a little happy.

It wasn't like Terra had been standing there for five minutes, internally soliloquizing, or anything. He'd made use of his musings while dragging Zack's body away from the battle ground. It wasn't right for him to be right in the middle of it all, not that there was much left. Many of the pillars were completely broken, and half of the courtyard had caved. But still, it felt rather like dancing on a grave, and it made the hair on the back of Terra's neck stand on end. Zack had been a truly nice guy. Terra had really enjoyed his company, despite not being in it for very long. He'd reminded him of Ventus too much for Terra to really bear, and it only made matters worse when Terra realized Zack and Cloud acted like older versions of Ventus and Roxas. It made Terra's eyes prickle with tears as he thought about it, tucking Zack's body just behind a large fallen pillar.

Terra had killed a lot of people. He remembered it all very clearly, despite his efforts to let it all slip into the obscurity of time. But there was something about Zack's death that settled inside him like a festering weed. It scared him, and he desperately wanted to tuck his emotions away, but it was much too hard. Everything was coming down around him, it seemed. He could stop this.

But he could try.

Terra steadied himself as he climbed over the pillar, walking past the bodies of Braig and Aeleus. He couldn't tell if they were dead or not, but he was glad they were out of the way. It made things a lot easier. Terra stopped at one of Braig's guns which glinted a little in the slowly setting sun. Terra scowled and kicked it toward the mouth of the courtyard, which was surprisingly upright. He took a deep breath and leapt forward, his Keyblade colliding with Xehanort's and Cloud's.

Cloud looked at him, his eyes widening a little, while Xehanort simply smirked, his golden eyes twinkling with amusement. He was shorter than Terra, and more slender, making his lithe attacks and dodges understandable. His long silver hair whipped in the chilly late winter wind, and Terra glared down at him, his anger spiking as he really looked upon Xehanort. This was his cousin's body he was trying to destroy. Terra didn't know if he'd really be able to do it.

But he had to, didn't he? Terra didn't know if he'd be able to simply knock him unconscious and subdue him until they could find a way to bring Riku back, if Riku was even still in there. Terra was scared, and he did not want to kill Riku. But something had to be done.

"This has gone on far enough, Xehanort," Terra growled, his rip tightening around his Keyblade. He could hear Cloud's heavy breathing, and he wondered how far the man could go after all this. He certainly looked ready to pass out.

"Oh?" asked Xehanort, Riku's pale eyebrows raising. He chuckled and shook his head. "Really? I don't know, nephew, I don't think I'm ready to quit just yet."

"Why are you doing this?" Terra cried as Xehanort pushed them back and sent a volley of shots their way while jumping into the air and swiftly bringing himself down on Terra. Terra dodged the darkness and the Master's blade, sliding quickly out of the way.

"After all these years you're asking _now_?" Xehanort laughed, his feet clapping against the cobblestone as he made his way toward Terra. "Oh, it's such a long story, I'd rather not get into it."

"Are you serious?" Terra cried, swing his blade, watching as it colliding with Xehanort's. "I kind of want to know why the hell you are so goddamn evil, considering this all seems kind of lame and petty from where I'm standing!"

"Do you honestly think I care about what you think, _Terra_?" Xehanort sneered with wide, almost crazed eyes. "It doesn't matter. This is how everything ends."

Terra breathed, and gritted his teeth, his cobalt eyes meeting the flashing, bold gold of Xehanort's. "I won't let that happen," he growled, pushing Xehanort back. The man flipped easily onto his feet, flipping his hair back and rolling his eyes. "Not ever!"

"Well, then," Xehanort said with a feral grin. "Why don't we settle this, dear nephew? To the death, perhaps?"

Terra breathed in through his nose sharply, and rose his Keyblade into his fighting stance. "So be it," he hissed, feeling his heart drop.

* * *

Ven carried Naminé down the stairwell as Xion silently led them to Eraqus. Kairi was still crying, though her sobs had died. They passed the courtyard, and Xion glanced through the doors into it, and her gaze lingered there for a moment as if she'd seen something that caught her interest. But she moved on quite swiftly, leaving Ven and Kairi to scurry after her.

They walked down a hallway that didn't seem so dilapidated as the one Ven had exited after his fight with Vanitas. It seemed like Terra and Xehanort had not been here. They moved in such a quiet way, Ven was feeling kind of achy for some kind of noise. Any kind of noise would do. He looked at Kairi, who was walking straight upright, a kind of fierceness in her tearful eyes that made Ven smile. The girl was strong, that was for sure.

"Xion, why didn't you want us to find Eraqus?" Ven asked slowly as he pulled Naminé closer to his chest. Her cheek felt warmish against his skin, which was revealed by the copious amount of tears in the white dress shirt he'd worn. He should've worn something that could take more damage.

Xion took a deep breath, twisting her fingers in her hand as she glance back at him. "It's…" she said, her voice soft. "It's incredibly difficult to explain. I just… I didn't think you'd want to see it? So much has happened already, and I'm not sure it's possible to save him from the fate Xehanort has chosen."

"We can try," Kairi said sharply, her glare harsh. Xion stared at her, her eyes widening, and she nodded.

"Yes, alright," she sighed, running her hand through her hair. "Just be prepared for the worst."

"This is scary," Ven whispered, as Xion stopped. She turned to look at him, her gaze apologetic, and then she moved toward a door.

"Oh," Kairi murmured, her eyes widening. "That's…"

"Xehanort wanted to keep Eraqus in a place where he couldn't feel the light," Xion said slowly, her hand reaching around the doorknob. "Apparently this is where Eraqus keeps prisoners when he catches them?"

"Yes," Kairi breathed, squeezing her eyes shut. "It's not really, um… pleasant."

"I wouldn't think so," Xion's knuckles were white against the knob, and she took a deep breath. "Can you please just… prepare yourself? I mean, I don't know how bad it is. I only caught a glimpse of it."

"Just open the door," the red head whispered, her hands closing into fists.

Xion blinked and nodded, turning the doorknob and swinging the door open. Kairi rushed up behind her and peered into the room, squinting her eyes. She saw nothing but darkness, however, and Ven looked around, blinking slowly. It was like looking into the abyss. There was a veil of complete blackness behind the door, and Ven wasn't sure if it was regular shade, or Darkness of the foul kind. So he did the only thing he could think of.

"Hello?" he called into the void, brushing past Xion and Kairi and stepping into the room. He felt the Darkness engulf him.

* * *

_Aerith and Zack died within four minutes of each other. I mean, if you're wondering. That was just the number I decided when I was trying to figure out the timeline. Which, by the way, goes like this:_

_Ven, Xion, Kairi, and Namine: Farthest ahead in the story._

_Terra, Xehanort, and Cloud: Seriously right after them. They're basically on the same time._

_Vanitas and Aqua: Probably at least five minutes behind the ones above. For reasons._

_Hope, Lightning, and Snow: Ten to fifteen minutes behind Ven's. _

_I'm not sure how many of you actually cared that Aerith died, but honestly, are you surprised? Anyone who has died before is not safe. Anyone who I am remotely in love with who is not Ven, Aqua, and Terra, are not safe. Ha ha! The main characters get to live! YAY!_

_SHANNA, SHANNA, WHERE ARE YOU, I NEED TO POUR MY HEART OUT TO YOU ABOUT RUMPELSTILTSKINXBELLE. Dude, can I just tell you how much I ship this? I SHIP THIS MORE THAN I SHIP SNOWING (which is SnowxCharming, if you're not fanname savvy). Angie and I have been trying to figure out a cute pairing name for them, because I don't really like the name Rumbelle (it sounds like rumble. Or something alcoholic. XD BEAUTIFUL RUM.). I've been like, "SPINNERBELLE, OR SOMETHING!" And then she started giving me pretty words, and I was like, "OH THAT IS COOL, I LOVE PAIRINGS THAT ARE NAMED AFTER WORDS." Like Literati. Hnnng, Literati, BEST PAIRING NAME. If you're wondering, Literati is the Gilmore Girls's fandom's name for RoryxJess. _

_I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to Vanitas and Aqua in like... forever. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET TO IT SOON, BUT APPARENTLY EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. Except it'll be back in two chapters, hopefully, because after next chapter I can't focus on Ven's POV anymore, or anyone in his group, or Terra's (FOR REASONS, AND ALSO BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF BORING, AND I AM SICK OF WRITING BATTLES), so that leaves me with Aqua's and Hope's. Luckily I have a decent amount to work with with Hope, so he's like my filler whenever I need a POV switch._

_Ha ha. Hi. I'm gonna go now. (Shanna, I'm going to get to your story, omg, don't kill me, I just had this IDEA FOR NEXT CHAPTER THAT FINALLY MADE THINGS START TO FALL INTO PLACE FOR THE ENDING, AND I KIND OF NEEDED TO WRITE THAT SO I DIDN'T FORGET THE MAGICALNESS. Seriously, I'll read it really soon.)_

_Next Chapter: Let's Be Divine_

_(I'll give you a hint, I was about to call the chapter 'Let's Play God', but I didn't.)_

* * *

"We won't!" Xion gasped, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him the most reassuring smile she could muster. "Just please tell me why we can't. We need to know so we don't do it!"


	85. Let's Be Divine

**White Knight: Eighty Five :Let's Be Divine**

"Who…" Hope gasped, clutching Aerith to his chest as tears filled his eyes. "Why… _Why did you do that_?" he screamed as the girl's head lolled, falling back like a doll's, and exposing a wide length of her neck. Her hair had fallen backwards, the long brunette braid gathering on the cobblestone. Hope felt numb as he tried to grapple with the reality of it all. He'd seen his mother die, of course, and that had been emotionally scarring enough. But this?

The woman let a peel of shrill giggles pierce the air, and Hope gasped as something sharp and cold met his cheek again, sending him flying onto the ground beside the dead girl. He blinked the stars out of his eyes as blood trickled down his cheek, and it stung quite a lot. He wasn't sure what was happening, and his heart was pounding hard, letting him know how scared it really was.

"Ugh," the girl spat, flicking the blood off of her strange knuckle knives. "Why do I always get stuck with the whiny brats? Seriously, I don't give a shit about you, kid, so… yeah, you're probably gonna die." The girl licked her lips, and Hope noticed a bit of blood had splashed against her face, making her look even more terrifying.

"Hope!" It was Snow who was calling to him, and Hope looked up. The man was still battling the monsters, but he was attempting to break away to help the fallen boy.

"No!" Hope cried, pushing himself to his knees. "Snow, follow Light's orders, don't—!" Hope gasped, swallowing his words as the woman's knee slammed into his stomach, sending him flying onto his back. His vision was blurry with pain, and he coughed his arms moving blindly for his rifle. The tips of his fingers met the still warm cheek of Aerith, and Hope flinched away.

He grunted as the woman slammed her booted foot against his chest, his eyes going wide as pain shot through his abdomen. The place where he'd gotten stabbed earlier throbbed with pain. He stared at the woman, her face a reminder that Aerith was laying lifeless beside him, and he felt all of his fear clench his chest tightly.

"Oops," the woman whistled, flicking her wrist and releasing one of her knives. Hope heard a cry of pain, and his head shot up, searching wildly for Snow. The man was already injured, and Hope wasn't sure how much he could really take.

"Stop!" Hope gasped, struggling against her boot. "Please! What do you want?"

The woman rolled her sharp green eyes and popped her hip to the side, pursing her lips. "Do you really think I want something?" she asked, her voice a strain inside Hope's head, like nails on a chalkboard. "I just want to stop this little retaliation before it gets out of hand. Killing a few rats like you? That's a bonus."

Hope stared up at her, his eyes wide, and the realization that this woman was really a complete and utter psychopath crushed him with despair. He couldn't reach his gun, and the woman was kind of right on him. He had no chance.

He breathed in through his nose sharply as he attempted to gather his jumbled thoughts, but he couldn't. It was just too much to take. She looked like she was about to strike, but Hope couldn't be sure, and he was scared to death. And soon he'd be dead anyway. Funny how things worked out.

And then something whizzed over her head, something that was so thin and swift, it was a blur as it hooked around the woman's arm, blood splashing onto Hope's face as it tore through her skin. The woman screeched as her arm was yanked back, and she fell to her knees, which were also bleeding profusely, though slowly. Hope was trying to catch his breath, his heart ramming against his chest, and his mind trying to catch up with the sight before him. The woman screeched, throwing her head back. But it seemed as if her attacker was invisible. Hope brought himself into a sitting position, clutching his chest and coughing as he attempted to follow the hooked line with his eyes.

He cried out as something flew over his head, and he ducked down, clutching it tightly. He blinked upwards quick enough to see an arrow slide past the woman, whose harsh green eyes had gone wide with shock. Hope jumped to his feet, letting his own shock take him completely, and he looked around sharply, his eyes darting around the street. But he saw no one.

"This is stupid!" shrieked the woman, her free arm swinging upward and cutting through the thread that held her still with a flick of her knife.

Hope stumbled back and searched the ground hastily, his eyes landing on the rifle laying beside Yuffie's head. He lunged for it, and as he did another arrow came flying past him, causing him to freeze, half bent over the rifle, as it struck the woman. Hope spun to stare at her, his eyes going wide as she screamed, the arrow imbedding itself into her shoulder.

"Holy…" Hope gasped, breathless as the woman was yanked off her feet. She fell hard onto her back, and the hooked threads untangled themselves from her legs and snapped back. The woman pushed herself hastily to her feet despite the bloody mess her legs had became from the sharp thread, and the hook that went with it. But she seemed fine enough to commit mass murder.

Hope scooped up his rifle and threw himself to the ground as she flung a knife at him. He heard it whistle past his ear, and he winced. He wasn't sure what was happening, but his fingers were quivering as he attempted to flick the safety back on his rifle. He wasn't ready for this.

He heard a groan from beside him, and he looked down sharply. It was Yuffie, and she was stirring. Hope looked around, his eyes widening. They were all stirring. He couldn't wrap his head around it, and he didn't have time to. He was just glad there would be more people to fight now.

Hope cried out suddenly as he was yanked up by his hair, something sharp pressing hard against his throat. He felt his gun slip through his fingers and clatter to the ground.

"That's unfortunate," the woman hissed into his ear. "Now you're weaponless and about to die. Must suck, huh?"

"Let me go," Hope rasped, raising his hands slowly in attempt to pry the woman's knife from his adam's apple.

"Really dumb last words," the woman simpered, pulling him closer to her. His back slammed against her chest, and he let out a tiny whimper, his fear overwhelming him. Yuffie was rising to her feet, clutching the arm of Vincent Valentine, who already had his gun pointed at the woman. Hope could hear her trying to contain her laughter, but she was failing miserably.

"Wow, this is getting fun!" She spun him around, and he yelped, her knife digging hard into his skin and leaving hot, sticky blood to dribble down his neck.

Hope blinked dizzily as he tried to make out what was happening. Because there was someone standing in the middle of the street.

"Vanille?" he gasped, feeling shocked and idiotic for not expecting her to be there. He also felt ashamed, for he almost completely forgot about her in the midst of everything.

She was standing a few meters away, her eyebrows furrowed, and her expression determined. Her light reddish, vaguely pink hair framed her face in soft curls, while most of it was pulled into double ponytails at each side of her head. She was wearing a sleeveless silver dress that fell to her knees in a flow of gently billowing fabric. Underneath the dress she was wearing tight black pants that looked a lot like tights, but thicker, and detached sleeves kept her arms from the nipping cold of winter. In her hands she clutched an odd pronged object, which she twirled in her hand as she smiled.

"Wow!" shouted Vanille, waving her odd little pronged thing from side to side. "Funny the damage binding rods can do, huh?"

_Now really isn't the time to be intentionally irritating people, Vanille, _Hope thought with a wince as the woman's grip around his neck got tighter.

"Aw, more little kiddies to kill. Such a shame!"

"Shut up," Hope growled under his breath, tears prickling his eyes as he felt the knife slice against his jaw.

"Ugh, stop talking back," the woman whispered her lips pressing against his ear. Hope turned his head away. "Seriously, I'm trying to have some fun."

"You're a creep and a psycho," Hope spat, breathing in sharply through his nose. Vanille was standing still, and Hope knew why. She was afraid that if she got any closer to him, the woman would decide to slit his throat. "If you're going to kill me, get it over with."

There was a silence that swept over them. Hope felt his tears spill over his cheeks, rolling hot against the cuts and smearing his blood downward. The sting of late winter air chilled him, and he stared at Vanille, watched as the girl's face became gradually more and more panicked as she realized the standstill they were in.

"I don't want to kill you just yet," the woman finally answered, her breath hot against his neck. Hope breathed heavily, his heart pounding. "I want _everyone_ to see just how pointless this little resistance is."

Hope tried not to let her know how afraid he was, but he was gasping already, his tears flooding down his cheeks. He could feel her laughing more than he could hear her, and it frightened him to no end. He wanted to fight back, but he felt his vulnerability take over him. He was stuck.

"I'm going to make you an example, cutie," the woman hissed, her nose brushing against his cheek. "And I'll use your blood to give a little shout out to my friends up at the mansion, hmm?"

Hope felt his fists clench, the idea numbing his mind.

And then he screamed, her scream echoing his own, as they both flew forward. He rolled away from her, his hands springing to his throat, searching for a wound. But he didn't find one. He pushing himself up, his feet skidding against the cobble, and he looked up. The woman was on her side, her back bright ride, and her hand pressed against her shoulder. It took Hope a moment to realize it was from being shot by an arrow earlier.

"Light?" Hope gasped, his voice cracking as he felt more tears splash onto his face.

She had already fallen onto one of her knees, her gunblade stuck in the ground for support. But her eyes were determined, and she glared at the blonde woman, pushing herself slowly back onto her feet.

"Okay, bitch," she growled, yanking her gunblade from the ground. "Say that again with my gun in your mouth."

* * *

Ven was screaming. He felt the prickle of darkness latch onto him, and pry open his mouth, shoving its spindly tendrils down his throat and flowing to his heart, engulfing it in a monsoon of darkness, pulsing and thrashing and pulling at all his anxieties, despairs, and nightmares. He was screaming so loudly, he couldn't think properly. He could barely pick out the hazy pictures floating in his brain, the chaos tugging at him, scratching and dragging him into the hell that was around him.

He could see her. She was no longer in his arms, but standing alone in the darkness, her head bent low. Ven stared at her, his eyes widening as he tried to move forward. But as he stepped, her head snapped up, and he froze. She screamed, and he screamed, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Her face had been a pearly white, like porcelain, but there was a jagged crack in her cheek, as if someone had smacked at her with a hammer, and the glass had fallen away.

His eyes fluttered open as he tried to bat the image away from his mind. But she was there, her nose centimeters from his, suddenly a breath away, and he felt himself continue to scream. Her glass eyes were clouded with dust, her here hair was awry and caked with dirt. Tears filled her glassy eyes, and she pounded on his chest, every smack coming with a spine chilling _crack_.

"Why," she gasped, her lips chipping, "did," her fingers cracked and fell away into dust, "you," the crack in her cheek spread upward, engulfing her eyes, "_do this_?"

"I didn't!" he shrieked. But she was already falling to pieces right before him, as if she had been struck with a sledge hammer, and her entire self had simply shattered on impact.

He stared for a moment, feeling his heart drop downward into the depths of his despair, and he stretched out his hand, hoping to catch a fragment of her, to have something left of her to hold on to. But she was gone. She was gone…

And then it was like a light had been turned on inside him, and the darkness was swept away by a current of light that washed over him like a wave of relief. He gasped as he fell back to reality, spinning around as he tried to make out his surroundings. He was in a small, windowless room, one that had nothing inside it. The room was being lit by a small sphere of light that was hovering in Kairi's hand. Said girl was staring at the corner, her eyebrows furrowing. Ven followed her gaze.

There was a man. He was curled up against the wall, his eyes drooped, tears gleaming on his cheeks, and Ven felt sick to his stomach. He was older, his face aged and lined slightly. But he looked so much older than he should've at that moment, like a sickly old man waiting in desperation to finally die and leave all his suffering behind him.

Ven was aware that Naminé was laying in his arms, limp and sort of lifeless, and he wasn't sure how relieved he was. But at least she wasn't a broken porcelain doll anymore. He watched Kairi as she approached Master Eraqus, her eyes wide, and her lip quivering. Xion was standing in the doorway, her fingers pressed against the wall.

"What's wrong with him?" Kairi asked with a small gasp, waving her sphere of light in his face. He did not react at all, and his eyes stayed blank and lifeless.

"I'm sorry," Xion whispered. "I guess… he's been in here for too long? I thought he might've been rabid by now, but I guess that stage has passed, and now he can't comprehend anything."

"What do you mean by that?" Kairi cried, turning on the black haired girl. Xion took a deep breath.

"Cordis…" The man rasped, his head lolling to the side. Xion's eyes widened. Ven thought he was just mumbling incoherently, but the man was staring right at Ven.

Ven stared back, and Kairi turned her head to look at him, her face incredulous. Ven didn't know what Cordis meant.

"Uh," Ven said slowly, his voice hoarse. "What?"

"Cor…" the man coughed, a dazed smile appearing on his lips. "Oh… Cordis… you're alright, aren't you?"

"Shit," Kairi whispered, her fist clenching at her side. The little sphere of light was becoming something of a fire. "Shit, shit, shit, shit."

"What?" Ven gasped, moving toward her frantically. "What does that mean? Who's he talking to?"

"He's talking to you!" Xion cried, her eyes wide. "How is he conscious after that, though? He should be gone. Catatonic."

"Wait, why is he talking to me?" Ven asked, looking at Kairi. "I'm not… I'm not Cordis, or whatever."

"But he thinks you are!" Kairi shrieked, her voice panicked and strained as she ran her fingers through her shoulder length red hair. "Oh, god…"

"Um, well," Ven squeaked, squeezing Naminé to his chest. "At least he's alright?"

"Yeah," Kairi breathed, tears running down her cheeks. "Yeah, he could be dead, you're right."

"Great, I'm right." Ven whistled and rocked Naminé, smiling down at her. But looking at her pale face, void of emotion, and peacefully oblivious, he grew panicky over what he had seen in the darkness. But then, he assured himself, it had just been an illusion. She was okay, because she was with him. And besides, she was tough. She could tough it out.

"So, uh," Ven said as he handed Naminé off to Xion, who carried her on her back into the hall. Kairi and Ven worked on heaving the Master out. He was murmuring more about Cordis. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's gone insane," Kairi murmured, her tear streaked face a haunting image in his head. It was heartbreaking. "At least, I guess, he's not really in his right mind."

"Like Naminé?"

"Um, I don't know." Kairi gritted her teeth as they yanked the man out of the room and propped him up against the opposite wall in the hallway. "Maybe?"

"He doesn't seem crazy, though."

"He's not the psychotic kind of crazy," Xion said softly, pushing a piece of hair behind her ears. "He's the sad crazy. He can't tell the difference between the present and the past. He's stuck in his own head."

Ven stood silently, his mind trying to understand how exactly something like that would work. But he couldn't. He had no idea how someone could be stuck in the past, or rather, stuck in the past in their head. It was confusing.

He bent down, peering at the man, sadness sweeping over him. What could drive Master Eraqus to go crazy like this? The man in his broken up memories had been strong, but still rather calm, like a gentle tide. How had this happened, Ven wondered. He looked up at Xion, who had lain Naminé onto the floor, her hair curling softly around her face, and her body curled up awkwardly. She was starting to look less like she was sleeping, and more like she was dead.

This sent a pang of worry through his heart.

"How did this happen?" he asked Xion finally, gesturing to Master Eraqus. The man was still staring at him, his lips moving with soft whimpering sounds coming in squeaks from his mouth. Ven could barely make out the name Cordis from the babble, but he did.

Xion took a deep breath, wrapping her arms around her chest, and hugging herself tightly. "Xehanort…" she said slowly, looking to Kairi, who was staring up at her with wide eyes. "He defeated him in battle. Eraqus put up a fight, of course, but… I mean, look at the body Xehanort has now. Eraqus didn't have much of a chance."

"Okay, so then why did he go crazy?" Kairi asked with a growl. The man's head bobbed over toward her, and he reached a hand out shakily. Kairi's eyes flickered down at him, then flicked sharply to Xion. She bent down, smiling brightly through her tears. Ven was shocked out how genuine she managed to make it, despite it being quite obviously fake.

"Hello, Master," she whispered, brushing some black hair from his eye. "Can you hear me?"

The man cocked his head to the side, his dark eyes drooping as he smiled up at her. "Cl…" he whispered, patting her head. "Cla…"

She shooshed him, taking a deep breath and looking up at Xion. The black haired girl nodded, her hair bobbing back and forth, and she continued.

"Xehanort took Eraqus and threw him into that room," Xion said quietly, pointing to the dark prison they had found the Master in. "And then… I'm not really sure how, but… he made everything Dark, and… well, he started screaming. I don't know what he saw. But the Darkness… it makes you see things. Stuff that happened before that pained you, or things that you know are true, but you keep denying them, or terrifying premonitions. Sometimes that's enough to make you go crazy."

"Oh." Ven wasn't sure why he had seen what he had seen, then. It had been a nightmare, not a memory, or a premonition, or even truth. It had just been something that scared him. Kairi stared at Xion, her eyes watering as she tried to fight off Eraqus's hands, which were grappling to pull her into a hug.

"Okay," Kairi breathed, nodding he head slowly. "Okay."

"Kairi…?" Ven asked slowly, bending down next to her. She glanced at him and smiled a little, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'm fine," she said steadily, pushing her hair from her face. "Don't worry."

"What?" Xion asked blankly, bending on one knee beside Ven. Ven glanced at her, and she glanced at him. They were both equally confused and shocked. She was taking this way too well.

"Don't worry," Kairi repeated, turning to face Eraqus. "It's going to be okay, I think."

"Um, no offense," Ven said with a tiny laugh, "but I kind of have to disagree."

Kairi shook her head and reached forward, her fingertips brushing Eraqus's neck. Ven and Xion shared yet another look of confusion as they leaned forward, trying to understand what the girl was doing. Eraqus looked at her, his eyebrows furrowing. Kairi's fingers locked around a chain that was wrapped around Eraqus's neck, most of it hidden beneath his shirt.

At that moment, he began to scream.

"NO!" he bellowed, smacking her hand away. Kairi jumped to her feet, startled. "NO! NO, NO, _NO_!"

"Master, please!" Kairi gasped, throwing herself back onto her knees. "I need it!"

"Nobody," the man rasped, his eyes crazed, and his lips drawn back into a grimace, "nobody needs something that foul."

"I don't understand," Kairi whispered, her hands turning to fists in her lap. "You always told me that it was a remedy! Why can't I have it?"

"It's evil…" Eraqus moaned, tears slipping from his eyes. "Don't go near it, don't touch it, don't… _do not drink it._"

"I'm not going to drink it," she assured him, trying to smile gently, but Ven found it obvious that she was just trying to calm him down. "I just need it, alright?"

"It's too awful…" Eraqus gasped as Kairi reached forward and fumbled to lift the chain from around his neck. He grabbed her hand, and Kairi gritted her teeth.

"I need it," she repeated, her voice masked in a growl. "Please understand, Master, I have to have it!"

"It will _destroy_ you," he whispered, his eyes desperate as he leaned toward her, his lips trembling. "Clarus, why are you doing this?"

"I'm not her, Master," Kairi said with little emotion to her tone. She pulled the chain over his head, and Eraqus stared at her, his hand slipping from hers. Ven tilted his head, trying to get a good look a the swinging object on the chain. Ven sat up straight, his eyes widening, and he pointed at the object, his mouth dropping open.

"Wait, what is that?" he asked as Kairi moved it slowly away from Eraqus. She glanced at him.

She held it up so he got a better look at it, and he blinked. It was a vial of faintly glowing liquid, clear as water, but somehow shimmering with light. Ven didn't understand why Eraqus was so panicked over it, or why Kairi needed it so much, but he had a feeling he would find out soon enough.

"It's magic water," Kairi said, cupping the vial in her hand as if it were too fragile to hold regularly. "Master Eraqus told us once that it had special properties that regular water didn't. I guess… if you drink it, you become kind of omnipotent for a little while. Not for long, of course, but, like, you can control basically anything you want for about five minutes, or something." She looked at the duo, who were shocked into silence, and she smiled. "If one of us drinks this, we can bring Sora back to life."

"No," Eraqus whispered, reaching out again and clinging to Kairi's arm as she attempted to stand up. "Don't. Please, don't attempt that sin, please…"

"Master!" Ven gasped, his excitement and hope bubbling up in his stomach. He shook his head, placing a hand on his old Master's shoulder. "Master, if we use it, then we can get Sora back! We could… hell, we could win!"

"NO!" the man screamed again, throwing his head back. "NOT AGAIN! I WILL NOT CREATE ANOTHER MONSTER!"

"Master, we're just trying to save Sora!" Kairi cried, placing her hand on her chest. She handed the chain to Ven, who grasped it tightly. The vial of magical water swung from side to side.

"I learned my lesson…" he rasped, squeezing his eyes shut. "Oh… no… just let him die, we'll all be better off…"

"What?" Kairi shrieked, and she grabbed Eraqus's shirt, yanking him up.

"Kairi, stop!" Xion gasped, jumping to her feet. "He's out of his mind!"

"He wants us to let Sora die!"

"Sora's already dead, Kairi!" Ven cried, grabbing the girl's shoulder and forcing her to look at him. "I don't know what he's talking about, but Sora's dead. We don't even know if this will work."

"It will work," she spat, letting go of Eraqus, who was still murmuring his pleas.

"You don't know that," Xion said quietly. "And… I don't know, it sounds kind of like a gigantic risk to take. Omnipotence isn't exactly free, you know."

"I just want Sora back!" Kairi screamed, rising to her feet. She squeezed her eyes shut and threw her arms over her head. "I don't care, okay? I don't care if it puts my life in danger! This is my only chance to get him back."

"Kairi, not all of Eraqus's words are pointless babble," Xion said steadily as Kairi moved to brush past them, grabbing the vial from Ven's hands. "He's stuck in the past, Kairi! He might know what happens to people when you use that thing!"

"I don't care."

"But—!" Xion gritted her teeth and turned back to Eraqus falling to her knees in front of him, her eyes wide. "Master Eraqus, who are you talking about?"

"Oh…" he whispered, his eyes brightening a little. "Oh… Aqua… there you are…"

Xion swore under her breath and looked up at Ven. "Go stop Kairi!" she snapped, tucking her hair behind her ear. Ven stared at her blankly before nodding. He glanced down at Naminé, doing a split second debate, before rushing down the hall to yank Kairi to a halt. Xion watched him wrench the vial from her hand, and she looked away as arguing ensued.

Xion breathed in deeply, pushing her cropped black hair from her eyes, her exhaustion taking over her. She shook her head, trying to clear her head as she looked back down at Eraqus. "You weren't talking about Sora, were you?" Xion asked softly.

Eraqus stared at her, his eyebrows furrowing, and his lips trembling once again. Xion smiled a little. "Can't you tell me more about why we can't use it? Please?"

"No…" he whispered, shaking his head profusely. "No, no, no. Don't drink it."

"We won't!" Xion gasped, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him the most reassuring smile she could muster. "Just please tell me why we can't drink it. We need to know so we don't do it!"

"Oh…" Eraqus leaned his head back tears streaking his face. "Oh, I did it…"

"Tell me what you did, Master Eraqus."

"He was going to die…" he murmured, his eyes flickering open, and he nodded at Xion. She nodded back eagerly. "He was dying… and it was just… there… hanging around his neck. I thought it would be okay. Just saving him…"

"What?" Xion asked confusedly. She glanced down the hallway, and groaned. Ven and Kairi were gone. "Okay, I'm sorry, I have to go." Xion pushed herself up, her dress billowing around her knees, and she brought herself slowly to her feet. He grabbed her wrist, and she looked down at him, her eyes widening.

"Don't drink it, Aqua," he gasped, squeezing her hand, his eyes shimmering with tears. "You'll only turn out like him. Alone, and Dark, and hungry for power."

"What do you mean…?" Xion asked slowly. Then her eyes widened, and she tore her hand from his. "Master Xehanort?" she gasped, leaning over Eraqus. "Wait a minute! You gave it to him. The spirit water? You let him drink it because he was dying?"

"He was okay… for a little while… and then it wore off." His eyes became dark, and his eyebrows furrowed. "He was… so mad with lust for it… to be the one to rule this world. I thought I could… convince him to be better, but he was so wrought with it. It's only a grace that the elders who let us have the power wiped his memory of the place, or else…"

"Elders…" Xion murmured. But she was amazed, and shocked by this information. It all made sense now. Xehanort's utter insanity, his bloodlust, his hunger for power. It was all because Eraqus had been a kind young man, desperate to save a friend.

"Of the Oerba spring…" he laughed, his voice turning giddy. "Oh… isn't there a young girl from there around here…?"

"I don't know," Xion said, her eyes flashing down the hall. She needed to make sure Kairi didn't drink the water from Oerba. "Thank you, Master. I have to go, now." She stood up straight leaving him to stare after her, confused and mumbling words that she couldn't catch. She had no time for this, however. Xion moved to run down the hall, but then she glanced at Naminé, and she felt herself freeze.

She was laying on her side, her face pale and her body limp, and Xion wondered. Was what Riku did to her affecting her soul as well as her body? Xion knew the girl wouldn't last much longer. Even if she got out of the icy prison Riku had made to keep her from destroying everyone with their own fury, her own emotions would take hold of her and drag her into the abyss. Her memories would become too much for her to handle. She would become less of a person than she had been even when she had been sedated by the insanity Xehanort had inflicted upon her. She'd be what Master Eraqus should have been. A body with no soul. A limp doll with no real emotions, just a shell and no core to warm her. Because all the bad things that happened to her in the past… they were too much for a girl who had been created in a lab. And once they were released, she was done for.

But still, Xion owed it to her to at least take her to her friends before she died. So she pulled the girl up onto her back, the girl's skin as cold as ice, expectedly, of course. Xion glanced at Eraqus, feeling a little guilty about leaving him alone, but she wasn't exactly capable of carrying them both. Plus, she was in a hurry. So she started down the hallway, Naminé's head on her shoulder, and she thought back to the days where they had hated each other so uncontrollably, for reasons she suppose she'd forgotten by now.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she ran, wincing at Naminé's weight. She wasn't really used to carrying people. "I really am. I don't know how everything got so messed up. And I know you can't forgive me right now, but… if you can here me, I just…" she breathed as she passed the courtyard, stopping to stare into the battlefield. Later, she told herself, before she moved into the next hallway, which was half destroyed. That was basically a sign that it was the right way to go.

"I want you to know that I'm going to make things right from now on, okay?" she whispered, glancing down at the blonde's face. She hoped for a reaction, but she didn't get one. The girl couldn't hear her. Xion didn't even know if she was capable of getting back inside her head. Maybe if she could, she could stop the bad things from choking her, but…

Xion froze as she spotted them, standing over what she could only assume was Sora's dead body. Xion gritted her teeth and ran at them, Naminé's body slipping slowly from her grasp. "Don't drink it!" she screamed, feeling Naminé fall from her grasp and crumple to the floor behind her. She reached out and grabbed Kairi's arm, yanking her back.

The girl was staring at Sora, her bright blue eyes wide with shock and tears were shimmering in their depths. Xion stared up at her, before her own eyes flickered down to Sora. She stared at him blankly as Ven cried out, running toward Naminé. Kairi dropped to her knees, her hands flying to her mouth, and Xion simply continued to stare.

But… how…

"Xion!" Ven cried, and Xion spun around her eyes widening. The boy was bent over the blonde, his hand on her face. He was undoubtedly aware of her condition by now. "What's happening to her? Why is she so cold?"

"I'm sorry," Xion whispered, glancing down at Kairi, who was still on her knees, confusion and disbelief in her eyes. "I need to go…" Xion back away from Kairi and Sora, and a pair of wide blue eyes followed her.

"How…" Kairi gasped, her hands dropping from her mouth.

"Xion, please!" Ven grabbed her arm, yanking her to a stop, and she stumbled back to stare down at him. "What's happening to her…?"

_Why can't you just wake up, you idiot? _Xion thought, glancing at Naminé. _Can't you see that people need you?_

"I'm sorry," Xion said, her voice bearing her regrets, and her condolences. She didn't know how else to break it to the boy. "Naminé is… she's about to die."

"No."

"I'm sorry." Xion tried to pry his hand from her arm. He stood up, the hand the wasn't holding her still clenched in a fist. Xion was vaguely aware of glint around his hand, but she ignored it.

"She won't die."

"If she doesn't, she'll become comatose. Or catatonic. Either way, she won't be alive, not really. I… I'm really sorry. Her memories are going to choke her to death. All of the bad things that happened to her that made her that psychotic girl you knew… they're going to destroy her mind to the point where she won't just be crazy, Ven. She'll be brain dead." Xion looked away, feeling his hand slip from her arm. Xion glanced back at Kairi, who was currently sobbing in the arms of a fully alive, fully aware Sora.

Xion shook her head. She didn't want to think about how. She wasn't going to think about how. She needed to fulfill her promise to Riku, and if that signed their fates, so be it.

She walked past Ven, who was staring down at Naminé with wide eyes. Xion didn't want her to be catatonic. It was a fate worse than death, in her opinion. But she felt awful about wishing she would die before Xion had to kick-start her fate.

She walked down the hall, her mind whirring at full speed. She was thinking about it.

Her eyes began to water. She hated this. It wasn't fair.

"Ven, what are you doing...?" Sora asked from behind her, his voice dazed.

There was a sharp sound from behind her, the sound of a crash, of glass shattering. Xion blinked, confused for a moment, before she spun around. She knew it was too late before she even saw him, though.

"No!" Xion screamed, feeling herself back up, unable to take failing on her word to Eraqus.

Ven stared at her, his eyes a milky white, and he smiled, his lips still glistening from where the water had touched them.

At that moment, Ven was a god.

* * *

_I feel bad for the people who read this who have never played the Final Fantasy games. They're huge part of the plot._

_Oh, gosh, ignore the mistakes in this chapter. I edited it, but I'm REALLY tired. So blah._

_Oerba. It's so much easier to grab a familiar FF thing than to make something up. Like the character I brought in next chapter, though that might just be because I felt like I needed to add her. You won't know who she is if you don't play Final Fantasy games, but if you do it's not that hard to figure out._

_So Xion centric at the end! Wow! I liked it. She seems to be cool now. We're cool._

_Warning: Next Chapter is SEVERELY Hope-Vanille centric. But I wouldn't suggest skipping it. It's kind of fucking important, at least the end is. The beginning is mostly just me making up lost time with NEVER BOTHERING TO MAKE VANILLE A MAIN CHARACTER. Whyyy. She's so awesome._

_Oh, and if you're confused about the end, here's what you missed: Sora's alive, and Ven drank the spirit water (why do I keep thinking of A:TLA?) so he could stop Namine from having a brain meltdown, and now he's basically a god. That maaay have some consequences later._

_Anyway! SKIN DEEP TOMORROW/TODAY. I AM PREPARED TO BE A SHIPPER OF THIS FUCKED UP PAIRING. WHOOO._

_Oops, I should stop swearing in my author's notes. There might be kiddies lurking._

_Next Chapter: The Black Hole _

* * *

"He's looking at you!" Hope hissed in her ear, dragging her away from the man, who was indeed glaring at them. "Don't rush into this stuff, Vanille, you'll make things worse!"


	86. The Black Hole

**White Knight: Eighty Six :The Black Hole**

"Hope, duck!"

Hope's head whipped around, and without getting a good look at what was flying at his head, and he slammed himself hard against the ground. He breathed heavily, gravel digging into the still bleeding wound on his cheek. He blinked slowly and rolled onto his back, grunting a little as he rubbed his side, where he had been wounded earlier. Healing was a slow process, it seemed, even with magic. He attempted to push himself up, and he was grateful when his curly haired friend came scrambling to his side, pushing him upright.

"Gosh, Hope," Vanille said, her giggle ringing in his ears as Hope reached out and grabbed his rifle. "You've got a knack for getting in tough spots, huh?"

He looked up at her, and his eyes widened as he got a good look at her face. She had a cut running from her jawbone to her nose, and sweat and dirt caked her face. She was gripping his shoulders so tightly, Hope thought she'd break the skin, her nails digging into his flesh. He was taken aback by her eyes, the wide bottle green sparkling with unshed tears.

"Vanille," he gasped, leaning back to stare at her. "Oh… no, Vanille, please don't cry."

She laughed a little, shaking her head, her cerise pigtails bobbing at her shoulders, and she pushed him hard. He cried out, falling onto his back. "Ow!" he cried, his gun clattering beside him. "Vanille!"

"Get up!" Vanille giggled, jumping to her feet, the pelt that she seemed to always wear around her waist swinging with her silver dress. "Wouldn't want you dying, now."

Hope pushed himself up, grabbing the strap of his rifle and scowling at his cheerful redheaded friend. The girl was clutching her binding rod in one hand, her chin high, and her lips drawn into a wide grin. He stared at her, and he began to smile as well in spite of himself. She was wearing a lot of beads around her neck, and hanging down her skirt from the strings of her pelt, as if she couldn't bear to part from them. Vanille had often worn beads with her school uniform, back when she had been in the Dark Region, always finding a way to incorporate her culture into her outfits. She had not been allowed to wear the pelt to school, but whenever she wore regular clothes, she looked distinctly tribal. Animal skin clothing, beads and feathers strung into her hair and onto her clothing.

She never talked about her home, though. She said it was a funny place, and it wasn't at all like the Dark Region. People hunted for supplies, taking animals and turning them into clothing, blankets, rugs, and using their bones and innards for odd things, like tools and jewelry. Hope still had a pair of black earrings made of mammoth bone at home. She'd given them to him to hold one day when she had been wrestling with Fang for something, and she had told him to keep them. She had had plans to pierce his ears at one point, despite his constant protests, but she never got around to fighting him on it. Hope knew she would've won. He'd seen her take down bears with nothing but her binding rod and a paring knife.

The thing about Vanille, she was tough. She didn't show how tough she was to many people, but she was basically five men wrapped up in a cute, bouncy, cheerful little girl. Fang was even tougher, though not by that much. In an arm wrestling match, Fang would probably win, but they were pretty evenly matched in terms of will and determination.

Speaking of Fang, she seemed to be waking up.

Hope and Vanille turned around as Yuffie ran past them, her shuriken whipping out of her hand and spiraling up, slashing against the blonde woman, who was summoning some sort of lightning all around her. Funny, considering Lightning was also pretty skilled in the art of man made lightning magic. Hence her lovely nickname.

"Light, you okay?" Hope called flicking the safety back on his rifle. The woman grunted in reply, her hair whipping around her head as she attempted to dodge the magic the blonde was sending at her.

"You've got a gun now?" Vanille asked with a short gasped, bending down to examine it. "Hope! You're growing up!"

"What?" he yelped, pulling the gun up and hugging it to his chest a little. "Sh… shut up, Vanille, it's not a big deal."

"Shhh," she giggled, pressing her finger to his lips, making him make a short strangled sound of shock. "I have to relish in the glory of my little Hope, kicking all sorts of butt with a super cool gun!"

"Vanille," he said through pursed lips as the girl began to blabber about her pride for him. "When did I become your little Hope?"

"You've always been my little Hope, silly!" she chirped, bringing her hand down to her side, and grabbing his free hand, pulling him into the thicket of people just awakening from whatever spell had been cast upon them. "My Hope, that's what you are."

"I really hate it when my name becomes everyone's personal pun," he sighed, attempting to wrestle his hand away from hers, his face growing red, and he was becoming uncomfortable. "I'm no one's hope, Vanille."

"I don't believe that," she said quietly, as she stopped at the feet of the brunette dead girl, her fingers tightening around Hope's. "You are a saving grace, Hope. For me, and for Lightning, and for Serah. Hey, even Fang thinks you're pretty swell when she's not raging with jealously."

"But I thought Fang kind of… hated me," Hope said, glancing at the tan girl who was now up and cutting through monsters like she was a machine, hacking and slashing with great ease and making the monsters disperse into darkness.

"She doesn't mind you all that much." Vanille shrugged, pulling Hope to Aerith's head and bending down, pulling him with her. "She doesn't like that we're such good friends, though. She's just jealous, like I said."

"I don't understand why…" Hope murmured, glancing away from Aerith's face. "It's not like I can replace her."

"No," Vanille said, her voice quiet. "But you are my hope, aren't you? I guess she just can't accept that."

"I don't really understand…"

"Don't worry about it," she whispered, folding up her binding rod and sliding it into a pouch hanging at her belt. "Hope… you've seen people die before, right?"

Hope looked up at her sharply, his eyes widening, and his fingers tightening around hers as the memory of the day his mother died came barreling back into his mind. He swallowed hard, trying to push the frightening things from his mind. No, he did not want to think about it. It was too much. Because Aerith looked so pale, and she was drenched in crimson, her emerald eyes cloudy and stuck forever in a look of shock and despair. She'd never see Zack, the boy she was dreaming of, and she'd never see the world become a better place, the place that she wanted to live in. Hope didn't understand how the gods could be so cruel, taking away people who have the most to live for.

"Yes," he said slowly, his eyes flicking up to Vanille's bright and glittering green ones, a tear slipping from his lashes and rolling down his cheek. "Have you?"

She was silent. Hope took a deep breath, nodding a little. Vanille said nothing about her past, and he was okay with it. If it was too difficult for her to speak of the things the had happened to her, he didn't care. It was her choice to keep previous events buried, and he could do nothing but accept that. Despite it being her that had gotten him to talk about events in his own awful memories. He wondered if this made her a hypocrite.

"It's okay," Hope whispered, reaching forward and sliding Aerith's eyelids down, her glassy emerald green eyes disappearing forever behind the thin flesh. "I guess it's just what happens. People die… and we really have no way of dealing with that. We just have to accept it."

"I hate that," Vanille, murmured, ducking as lightning flashed bright above their heads, crackling and hissing, and turning the hair on Hope's neck upward. Hope was reminded that they were in the middle of a battle field, and he brought his gun closer to his side. He was ready to fire if necessary. "I hate knowing that no matter how hard we try, we can't stop our fate."

"That's why it's called fate," Hope said with a small smile, pulling her down low as Vincent leapt over them, his long battered red cloak swooshing. "We are all going to die, right? That's one thing that is certain in this world, and I think I can deal with that. Everyone dying. Because… we all do it. Together. That's okay with me."

"But what if we don't die?" Vanille asked, her eyes flashing Hope's face as she breathed out shakily, squeezing his hand. "Then we're not together. We're just… here. Is living worse than dying, Hope?"

"What?" Hope asked blankly as Vanille's hand slipped from his, and she stood up, grabbing Aerith's arm and hauling her body over her shoulder. "Wait, whoa! What are you doing?"

Vanille cocked her head back at him, her curly red hair falling from her shoulder, and she gave him a small smile. "I don't want anyone to step on her," she said with a shrug, before darting forward and moving out of the battlefield. Hope blinked slowly before he ran after her, gripping his rifle with both hands as he passed the blonde woman. Lightning looked like she was holding up, thankfully, so he figured it'd be alright to pop out. Just for a bit.

He passed Snow, and he froze, spinning around to stare as the man moved quick, bashing monsters heads with his melon sized fists. He was shocked, because beside him was a girl, wearing an outfit very similar to Vanille's except toned down with the eccentricities. No beads, no pelt, just boots, pants, dress, and belt. She was moving quick, her feet dancing against the cobble as she ducked under Snow's large arms and drew back an arrow, letting it snap from her fingers and fly. As soon as it did so there was a new arrow in her hands, and yet again she was releasing it.

"Serah?" Hope gasped, stumbling toward her dodging a stray knife of the blonde woman. The girl blinked up at him, her striking blue eyes flying wide at the sight. She spun fully around, lowering her bow, and she grinned broadly.

"Hope!" she cried running to meet him, her fingers on the quiver of her bow. "You're here too?"

"Obviously," he said, staring at the bow with shock evident in his face. "Um, when did you learn how to use that?"

"Huh?" She looked down at the bow and held it up, her head tilting to the side. "Oh, I started defensive training around the second or third day I got here. Zack said the more people that knew how to fight, the better. He was right."

"So you just picked up a bow, and went, 'Oh, this looks like it'd be a good weapon for me, I shall just pick it up and learn how to use it!'?"

"Ha ha!" Serah laughed, waving on hand as she sheathed the arrow she was using. "I can say the same for you! What made you choose a gun? I thought… you know, those were kind of off limits?"

Hope glanced down, his stomach knotting uncomfortably. She was right, yes, and he was desperately searching for a way to get over it himself. But he only had one explanation for it.

"Lightning gave it to me," he said quietly. Serah stared at him, and her face lit up like a light, her entire demeanor changing as she spun around, her head whipping from side to side.

"Lightning?" Serah gasped, "Claire? She's here?"

"Uh," Hope said reach over her shoulder, his index finger extended. "Right there."

Serah spun around once again, her wavy side ponytail whipping as she moved. She stared at Lightning with wide eyes, and Hope felt suddenly very sorry for her. This was the first time she was seeing Lightning since the day she came here, wasn't it?

"Oh…" Serah stepped forward, but did not move farther than that. She looked back at Hope, her eyebrows furrowing, and her eyes dropping. "She's fighting."

"Fight with her, then," Hope urged, nudging her forward. "If you can keep up with Snow, you can keep up with Light."

"I'm not really sure," Serah said with a sigh, turning to face Hope, her blue eyes growing wide. "I'm not used to fighting at all! The only reason I'm here is because the army is shorthanded, and they needed all the help they could get."

Hope shook his head and opened his mouth to retort, but as he did so something came swooping down upon them. Serah screamed as she was yanked backwards by the collar of her dress, falling against Snow as he pulled her away from the blade spiraling toward them. Snow called out Hope name, but he was too close. He couldn't move.

"Nuh uh!" a familiar voice cried, the sound of hooks unwinding catching Hope off guard, and he watched as the scythe that sped toward him was yanked to the side, allowing him to dive away and aim. "Don't touch my Hope!"

"Vanille, please stop," Hope groaned, peering through his scope and squeezing the trigger as Vanille hopped out of the way, her hooks flying back to her pronged weapon. "Don't call me that!"

She blinked at him, her grin eyes sparkling, and she pouted, cocking her head a little. "Can't help it if it's true, can I?" she giggled, jumping up onto a fallen column and casting her hooks again as the man finally lowered his hood and dodged the hooks with lithe grace. Vanille scowled a little as her hooks were reeled back in, and Hope aimed and shot again. He missed, and the bullet smacked into a building nearby. It exploded, but the force wasn't enough to make the building catch fire.

"No, no!" Vanille cried, waving her pronged rod above her head. "Aim for the chest, not the arms!"

"Vanille, I'm not aiming to kill!"

"Nooo," she drawled, her thick, chirpy accent lilting as she dove off the fallen column, a thorny vine crawling awkwardly toward her. She ducked into a roll and sprung to her feet, swinging her binding rod and catching the vine, slicing it clean in half. She then spun carefully on her heel, grabbing one of Hope's shoulders and spinning him around to face her. He felt his eyes go wide, and his neck grew hot as she gripped his shoulder, staring up into his eyes. This was odd, considering they'd always been around the same size, if not her a bit taller. "Aim for the right side, Hope. You won't hit the heart, that way!"

"But…" he whispered, feeling uncomfortable with the idea. He could still kill the man, even if he wasn't aiming at the heart. He hated this. "Vanille, I don't—"

Vanille cried out and slid her hand down his arm, gripping his elbow and yanking him to the side, stumbling as the man came zooming toward them, his scythe spinning in his fingers like a gigantic baton. Hope screamed as fire flew over their heads, and Vanille pushed him hard onto the ground, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and squeezing him tightly, her body shielding his as the heat passed over them.

"Hey, watch it!" Vanille screamed over her shoulder as Hope crawled out from under her. "You could've _really_ hurt someone, Axel!"

"That was the point!" Axel cried back, spinning around and catching his chakram easily in his left hand, spinning it fast and sliding backwards as a man came speeding through the crowd, a large sword raised as his pale blue hair billowed behind him. Hope stared for a moment before his head snapped back to the man with the scythe. He grabbed his gun and aimed again, squeezing the trigger without looking into the scope to make sure he was getting a hit.

The bullet sprang out of the barrel with a crack, and Hope grabbed Vanille's arm, pulling her hard onto her feet and running, his bullet crashing against the man, who grunted as he was pushed backwards by the force of the ice bullet, which shattered at his shoulder. Vanille grinned and looked up at Hope, her pigtails bobbing as she ran.

"This is fun!" she cried as they skidded to a stop, letting go of each other for a moment to attack another man, this one standing rather tall, with nothing but a single card in his hand to defend himself with. And then he let the card go.

"Jump!" Vanille cried excitedly, and Hope obeyed, pushing himself hard off the ground as the card hit the ground and exploded outwards. The ground beneath them cracked, and fire billowed around them, licking their legs, and the duo screamed as gravity pulled them back down to earth, letting their burned feet slip against the cracked cobble. They toppled and fell flat on their backs, gasping as they tried to blink off tears.

"Vanille?" Hope rasped as he sat up, patting out the fire on his pants' legs. His skin seared a little, but other than that he was sure he was fine.

"Ouch…" she murmured, pushing herself up and dragging her binding rod with her. It grinded against the cobblestone as she hissed softly, placing her hand over the burn on her left knee. She looked up at Hope and smiled a little. "I'm okay." She nodded, as hurried footsteps made Hope's head snap behind him, his rifle up and aiming.

"Oh, put that down, big boy, before you hurt yourself," Fang snorted, pushing the barrel away as she stepped over Hope's body and bent down beside Vanille. The woman was wearing her usual blue and black drape, her skin showing places. Hope stood up slowly, glancing at the man who had dropped the card, and glaring at him. He was focusing on fighting Tifa at the moment, but Hope was planning on getting back at him.

"I'm okay, Fang!" Vanille cried with a wide smile as she rose to her feet. "Really, see?"

"I see," Fang said with furrowed eyebrows, her own accent thick and husky. "Do you still want to fight, Vanille?"

"Yes!" the red headed girl gasped, her hands clasping together tightly as if in prayer. "I don't want to leave all of you alone just because of a little burn. That's silly!"

"Yeah, yeah," Fang muttered, rising to her feet as well. "Just be careful, alright? Don't want anything to happen to you."

"I'll be fine," Vanille said carefully, her eyes flickering up at Fang's her smile growing wider. "Go on and fight! I'm perfectly capable of doing things myself."

"Yeah, alright," Fang muttered, wrapping her arms around the girl's shoulder. "Seriously, be careful."

"I will!" Vanille smiled, hugging the woman back. Hope watched, distracted for a moment before he turned and looked around. The battle field was growing to really be that. Four enemy soldiers had appeared, and all of them were pretty tough. Tifa was battling the man with the cards, and they seemed evenly matched, though he definitely wasn't as athletic as her. Snow and Serah had tag teamed yet again, and they were facing the man with the scythe, accompanied by Rikku and Auron. Axel was battling against the man with blue hair, diving and bending to dodge his attacks. Hope found it odd how _angry_ the blue haired man seemed, as if he had something personally against Axel. Cid, Yuffie, Vincent, and Lightning were fighting against the blonde woman, who was managing to hold them all off, interestingly enough.

Fang let go of Vanille, and the two parted ways, Fang running and slashing at the man with the cards, landing easily beside Tifa. Hope stepped toward Vanille, who grinned at him, raising her binding rod and nodding. Hope nodded back, before turning around, raising his gun.

And then he caught sight of Axel again. His eyes widened as the man was sent flying backwards, hit hard with the blue haired man's sword, and he skidded onto his stomach, his chakrams clattering beside him. Vanille moved to run to him, but Hope pushed her back as the blue haired man swooped down, grabbing Axel by the back of his collar, and hoisting him up.

"Hope, we have to help him!" Vanille moved around him, her binding rod gripped tightly in her hands, and as she ran toward them she was pulled back.

"He's looking at you!" Hope hissed in her ear, dragging her away from the man, who was indeed glaring at them. "Don't rush into this stuff, Vanille, you'll make things worse!"

She scowled at him, but stood still, watching as the man turned his attention back to Axel who was stirring. Vanille looked at Hope, and Hope looked at her. They weren't sure how to get to attacking the man without having him attempt to chop off their heads. They both weren't exactly tall, and the man looked like he was ready to impale the nearest person. Who happened to be Axel, but still.

But as he tried to think fast, and formulate some quick plan for Axel, Hope spotted someone. His eyes widened, and he stepped back, pulling Vanille with him. She looked up at him confusedly.

"Hope, if you keep holding me back, I'm gonna have to attack without you!" she cried, her voice teasing, but her expression serious. Hope shook his head and pointed as he ducked, pushing her head down with him. She squeaked as a sphere of light came spiraling fast toward them, and it exploded, hitting the blue haired man and Axel full force, and splitting them apart. The light blinded Vanille and Hope, and they squeezed each other for support as the light faded, blinking the floating stars from their vision.

"What was that?" Vanille asked with a gasp, rubbing her eyes and straightening up, squinting into the light. Hope blinked upwards, and smiled a little, shaking his head.

"That's a Keyblade Master," he whispered.

* * *

"You swore…" Vanitas hissed, shakily raising her hand and gripping it tightly, his golden eyes blazing as he rose his other hand unsteadily, his Keyblade flashing into his palm. He pushed the hilt of the blade into her hand, before grabbing her free hand and squeezing it as his body seemed to flicker, like his image was becoming unstable.

"Stop," Aqua growled, tears slipping from her eyes.

"You promised you would, though…"

"Stop right now." She tried to push the Keyblade away, but he had forced it into her hand. She was now grasping it with white knuckles, and her tears were clouding her vision as she shook her head, trying desperately to clear it.

"You swore!" he snarled, his gaze flaring up at her face intensely, his lips drawn back and his teeth bared. "You can't go back on your word."

"I… this wasn't part of the deal," she said, her tone hushed, and her tears splashing onto his face. "You said… the winner has to kill the loser, but there was no winner! Vanitas, that fight wasn't fair, and you know it! We both fainted in the middle of it."

"Oh, come on," he hissed, his eyes narrowing at her and his body stiffening as the Darkness shrouding his legs pulsed. "A swear is a swear, you know."

"Please don't do this to me…" she whispered, shaking her head and squeezing his hand tightly. "Oh, god, Vanitas, I can't kill you. I know I can't. Please don't make me try…"

"God damn," he spat, squeezing his eyes shut. His lips were quivering, and despite him looking quite savage, he was frail. He appeared sickly, and his fingers were like ice pressed up against her skin. She was scared, and chilled by this. "Don't be a bitch about this, okay? I… I just can't go out… like this… like I'm nothing…"

"And me killing you," Aqua snapped, pulling his hand up and holding it against her shoulder, "that's supposed to make your life worth something?"

"Worth killing," he croaked, flashing her a wide, crazed smile, and he chuckled, his eyes rolling back as he winced, the Darkness taking jabs at his abdomen.

"I can't accept this," Aqua said, dropping the Keyblade. It clattered to the tile and dispersed into Darkness, and Vanitas's eyes widened. "I won't kill you. You… you won't die, okay? I'm not going to let it happen."

"Too late, princess," he hissed, a tear slipping from the corner of his eye and falling down his temple and into his hair. "I'm practically a corpse now. Considering there won't be a body left."

"Stop."

"This must be so _hard_ for you," he rasped, his wide golden eyes filled with sorrow, and rage, and hurt, and fear. He looked as if he was about to start screaming profanities while grossly sobbing. "Watching me bite the dust. Can't fulfill my dying wish though… huh…? Bitch move, Aqua… bitch move…"

"Killing you will do nothing!" she cried, grabbing his shoulder and leaning over him so he could see her face clearly. "It won't help you, Vanitas! You die either way!"

"Then why can't I die the way I want to?" he barked, his voice strained, and hoarse, his face contorted with pain as he clutched her hand in a vice grip. "I want to go out at least the way that seems… me. I want to be me. Let me be me for a little while longer, okay?"

"What the hell does that mean?" she croaked, her voice cracking as she watched her tears run down his face. He blinked at her, his blazing gold eyes softening as he tilted his head to the side.

"Why are you crying…?" he asked gently, his voice nothing but a whisper and a scratch.

She stared down at him. He looked lost, his face contorted with pain, and confusion, as he wrestled all the emotions that were breaking down everything that kept him whole. It was possible that Vanitas had died already. That the boy she knew was just a ghost of what had been, relying on washed up emotions to get him through the day. It was possible that she was dead already too. She felt dead. Or at least dying, what with the growing ache in her chest that plagued her through her unyielding emotions.

"I don't want you to die…" she whispered, her voice breaking into a sob as she dipped her head low. "You… you're endlessly interesting, you know that?" Tears fell fast, caressing her skin like a drizzle of rain. "You're different than everyone else. And not because you're awful, but because you are so… so fascinating…"

"You broke your promise…" he murmured, and Darkness tickled Aqua's skin, biting at her flesh and sending her head snapping up. The Darkness was engulfing him, and he leaned his head back, sighing a little. He looked tired now. He was done fighting.

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes droopy. "I think my actions have hurt you more than anyone. And… I guess hell is the only way to pay for that."

"No…"

"And…" His lips curved into a smile. "Since you're such a wimp, I'm gonna forget about the promise. It ain't like I'm surprised, or anything. You're… such a stupid weakling…"

"Yeah, I am," she laughed, grabbing his shirt and trying to bat away the Darkness. "I'm stupid, and I'm weak."

"I hate that about you," he hissed, his smile growing. "I hate that you are so _grossly_ kind, and how you think that you can get away with everything, and I hate your exaggerated ideas of _friendship_ and _family."_

"I hate me too," she murmured as he closed his eyes.

"Stop twisting my words, mousy," he whispered, Darkness licking his neck, and pulsating around his arms, the hand that was inside Aqua's already having been consumed. "I… never said I hated you."

She stared at him silently, and she managed to crack a smile. "Not today," she laughed dryly, and he smiled too, his lips turning up. She stared at him, praying for a miracle. But she knew that was pointless. This was something she couldn't stop. And as the Darkness tickled his skin, licking his cheeks, she did the only thing she could think of to ease him.

She leaned down, her hands grasping his face, and she pressed her lips hard against his, feeling as if she'd crush them if she put anymore force into this. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and she opened her eyes, finding him staring at her with a look of utter shock in his strangely delicate features, his golden eyes growing softer and softer. Darkness cut against her skin, but she did not release him. She held him tightly, and he continued to stare.

And then she felt his lips tug into smile, a grin, if the sharp nip she felt on her own lips was anything to go by, and he managed to lean forward, his lips molding with hers, locking in a tight secret, a whisper that only she could hear as her fingers fell through his hair, and she was suddenly holding air. She blinked as he fell back, and she pulled away.

He stared at her for a short moment, his mouth parted.

"Aqua…" he said quietly, and Darkness grabbed hold of his face, wrapping its sharp tendrils around him like a blanket.

And just like that, he was gone. The room was completely empty, except for Aqua, and the ghost of Vanitas's last breath as she stared at the ground where he had laid, wondering how it was possible that she couldn't save him. She felt herself fall onto her hands, her tears dripping against the cracked marble floor, and her curtain of blue hair framed her face as she began to sob, her body wracking uncontrollably.

Maybe she should've just killed him. The outcome would've been the same.

Why was she so sad about this? Had she loved him? The insane murderer who was a bully and a creep?

"What," she hissed, pulling her hands to her chest, "does it matter now, anyway…?"

It did matter, though…

For the boy whose blue eyes snapped open in the hallway outside, the boy who yanked the spear from his own stomach so he could heal himself, he knew well.

He came back, but at a price.

* * *

Riku stared up at the sun, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he threw himself to the ground, a screeching noise filling the entire world as the sun finally devoured itself, and now it was wailing, and sucking in everything around it. It spiraled, a bright, massive thing that screamed and glowed intensely as it ate up its neighbors, ready to feast on the worlds all around.

"What a sight…" he murmured, pushing himself to his feet. He grinned and looked to the frozen girl near the swing set. "Right, Naminé—" He froze mid-sentence, his eyes falling on not the tiny girl incased in the blizzard spell he'd cast upon her, but the equally tiny girl sitting patiently on the swing beside her, her hands folded in her lap, and her green eyes glowing against the red overcast the black hole had caused.

"Alright," he said slowly, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Who are you?"

She watched him with her startling emerald eyes, her head cocking to the side, and her long steely blue hair falling elegantly with her face, and she reached up, gripping the rusty chain. She wore odd clothing, her shirt beaded, and her midriff slightly bare. Her white shirt wrapped into a halter with orange straps, meeting at the center of her chest where a small crystal hung. Her skirt was a light purple that faded gently into a darker purple, and it was pleated into layers. Around her arms were countless bands, all beaded and intricately tied around her biceps and wrists, finding a way to curl around one of her fingers.

"Time," she said in a soft, monotone voice, "is running out."

* * *

_Oh, Vanitas, I'm going to miss writing you in this story. I can't believe I actually did it, though. O.O This death has been planned since Halloween of 2010! I remember because I was in church when I realized I wanted to kill Vanitas off, and I wanted Aqua to be the only one with him. _

_Come on, though, is anyone remotely sad? Or even remotely surprised? He's been doomed for so many chapters! Oh, and anyone who guessed Sora came back to life because Vanitas died gets a cookie. _

_Reasoning: When Sora died he went into Vanitas. If Vanitas had died earlier he would've gone into Sora. Aaaand, neither of them made a wish before they died, so basically they were just allowed to come back to life (it might be clearer next chapter)._

_Yes, for those who have played FFXIII-2, THAT IS YEUL. For those who haven't played FFXIII-2, go look up Yeul quick, because SHE IS REALLY IMPORTANT NEXT CHAPTER FOR SOME REASON. I'm sorry I've been focusing so much on FFXIII characters, guys. ;-; I just know the most about that FF, so I can write the characters the best for some reason._

_I miss Shanna. ;-; She totally dropped off the Earth again. Ugh, I'm going to have to force her to come back just because this chapter is important, and I need her opinion. _

_Vanitas's death also marks the imminent end to the story, so I'm pretty free to post another multichapter from here on if I want to. I'm not sure yet, but all I need is someone's 'Okay' to post up a new one I'm working on. Any reviewers wanna give me some support on that?_

_OSCARS TOMORROW! Angie and I plan to watch Hugo right before because she hasn't seen it yet, and it's LIKE MY FAVORITE MOVIE EVER, AND I AM DESPERATELY IN LOVE WITH ASA BUTTERFIELD (it's cool, guys, he's only three months younger than me)._

_Has anyone figured out the black hole yet? _

_Next Chapter: Death Wish_

* * *

"Oopsies, I think I broke Time's pet," he snickered, his arm flying out in a defensive gesture, as if his scrawny appendage would serve as her shield.


	87. Death Wish

**White Knight: Eighty Six :Death Wish**

"What?" Riku asked blankly, feeling incredibly irritated as the tiny girl pushed herself up, her moccasins moving slowly as she kicked her legs, a small smile appearing on her delicate looking lips. Her hair went billowing as she swung, floating as if she were wading in water around her head.

"I'm here for you," she said, jumping carefully off the swing. She landed awkwardly, her body not quite moving as it should have. She didn't seem to know how to react to this, so she stood hunched for a moment, her feet facing each other, before she realized how to fix this and she straightened up. She blinked slowly, cocking her head to the side, and her very long, silvery-blue hair slid carefully down her shoulders. The beads around her neck jingled as she stepped forward, her footsteps shattering the roar of the black hole above them, and sending chills down Riku's spine.

"What?" he croaked as she stepped straight in front of him, her head tilted back so she could stare up at him, her green eyes bearing no expression other than contentment.

"You," she spoke, her soft voice lulling him in a strange, dizzied trance. It was tranquil, yet clearly lacking emotionally. "I am here for one purpose. To ease you." She moved her head back, her eyes resting on the frozen girl, and she nodded to the human popsicle, her bright green eyes moving back to Riku's face.

"I don't need to be put at ease," Riku growled, pushing her away as she stepped too close into his personal bubble. She fell back fast, and landed on her side, her face pressed against the pavement and her hair spilt like liquid mercury around her head, shimmering like metallic blue silk around her pale and child-like face. Riku stared down at her with wide eyes, feeling suddenly incredibly guilty for a moment before he put his guard back up. This girl wasn't supposed to be here. She could easily make everything worse.

"You fall too easily," Riku hissed as the girl pushed herself into a sitting position, her hair curtaining her round face, the long faintly blue strands dancing around her cheeks. She looked up at him, her decorated hands sliding slowly into her lap.

"I suppose," she said in her quiet, but evidently strong and melodic voice as she rose to her feet, dusting her light purple skirt off. "I am rather not used to being touched, you can say. At least in not such a rough manner."

"Sorry," Riku spat as he sidestepped her, her feet moving her forward as if she had no control over them. "I'm not exactly in an overly friendly mood right now, especially not to strangers who appear in this stupid death world."

"Oh, so you figured it out, then?" she asked, her eyes flickering up at him, and interest piquing in her stunning green eyes. She stopped walking to turn fully to face him, her hands resting at her sides. Riku noticed she was wearing some incredibly odd headpiece that seemed to keep her hair separated, most of it laying behind her shoulders, while two long pieces hung with lithe fluidity at her ears, framing her face with the pale blue.

Riku folded his arms across his chest, his head tilting a little. "I'm sorry?" he asked, his eyes narrowed. "Can you explain who the hell you are, and why you're here?"

She was silent for a moment, her interest fading into the depths of her wide green eyes, ands she seemed to sigh, reaching upward and plucking a flower from her hair. This flower had been stuck on her odd headpiece, and Riku had thought nothing of it. But as she cradled the flower in her palm, it seemed like the girl was attached to it. Riku was growing rather irritated, however, because she wasn't cooperating.

"Hey, come on," he growled, his fists clenching. "Just tell me your name, to start with."

She peered up at him, her low arching eyebrows raising a ever so slightly, and she let the hand clutching the flower fall to her side. She stood in silence for a few more moments, simply gazing at him with her soul tearing eyes before she gave a very curt nod.

"Yes," she said in her strangely soothing, light and airy monotonous voice. "At birth, I was given the name Yeul. Yeul of the Nsu clan from the ancient city of Paddra, now known as Oerba."

"Yeul," Riku repeated, the name sounding fantastically foreign on his tongue. It was not a name he was familiar with, but the name Oerba struck a chord. "Do you happen to know two girls named Oerba Dia Vanille, and Oerba Yun Fang?"

"I have never met them," Yeul said simply glancing down at her flower. Riku squinted at her, unconvinced by her sudden lack of eye contact. "They have never met me. But we acknowledge one another, those chosen and I."

"Wait, what?" Riku asked flatly, giving this silver haired girl an incredulous look that should've left her mortified. "Stop the cryptic shit already. Tell me why you're here, okay?"

"I already told you, Riku," she said, stepping forward, and her moccasins scraped against the tough pavement. "I'm here for you and for her. There is nothing more than that."

"But…" he asked through gritted teeth as he moved away from her again. She seemed to like brushing past people and idly walking in circles. It looked as if it was natural to her. "Why? Why are you here for us?"

"These cities have grown to abandon the gods of this world, but that does not mean they do not exist." Yeul began to hum softly as her beads jingled, and her hair billowed around her head as she moved toward Naminé. "I suppose that could be why you are all so surprised when I come for you. I am the reaper's maiden, if you will. I take time, for I am time's captive, and I use it for my own wish."

Riku's eyes followed her, and he tried to contain his shock. "So…" he said slowly, "you're… a goddess?"

"No."

"Then what the hell are you?"

She spun to face him, her facial expression unchanged, but her fingers wrung tightly around the flower, and her hair flowed gently. "I am a dead girl fulfilling a dream," she said softly, pressing the flower to her chest. "That is what I am."

"That's not a sufficient answer for me, sorry to say, Miss Yeul," Riku chuckled dryly before reaching out and snatching one of the small girl's thin arms, yanking on it so the girl had to face him directly instead of simply wandering in aimless circles around him. "I'd appreciate if you gave me a straight answer to why you're in this mind world, and I'm not exactly in the mood to put up with nonsense, so if you don't mind…?"

She stared into his eyes, her expression still completely unchanged. She seemed unable to properly react to this kind of situation. Riku's eyebrows furrowed, and he squeezed her arm tighter. She continued to stare, as if she felt nothing, and Riku wondered if that was truly the case. She wasn't reaction to anything at all, and it was horribly frightening. Yeul was rather pretty, though in the kind of way that a small flower, or a ladybug was. She looked like she belonged in a field of daisies, just to lay there forever and stare at them. Riku did not doubt she could do this for eternity, not with the odd and utterly emotionless stare she was giving him.

"Answers," Yeul said, her eyes turning down at Riku's hand on her arm. "I suppose I've been telling you the entire truth. I don't lie, Riku. It so happens that people simply don't listen to me. How foolish, I think, not to listen to someone who has seen the future."

Riku watched her with his eyes suddenly wide, and he let her arm slip from his grasp. She blinked twice and looked down, picking up and arm and prodding the angry red mark Riku's fist had made. "You've seen the future?" Riku asked slowly, and she nodded easily.

"I've seen it all," she said, tilting her head from side to side. "But that's not important right now. What is important is you. What do you want to do?"

"I can't do anything," Riku whispered as she began to circle him again. "I'm trapped here."

"Oh, no," said Yeul as she stopped herself and stood straight. "You're not trapped. You're safe."

"What?"

"You are safe, Riku," Yeul said with a smile as he turned around to face her. "That's what this world was made for, don't you see? For people like you… like Naminé, and Vanitas, and Zack, and Aerith, and Sora… and for me as well, though I am not allowed to enjoy the comfort of this kind of afterlife. This is haven."

"I don't understand what you're saying," Riku said, his eyebrows furrowing. "This world is just something Xehanort created. It's not any sort of haven at all."

"Your father had nothing to do with this." Yeul watched him with her expression turning a little, and Riku took this as a sign of confusion. She watched as Riku began to walk slowly toward her, the heart wrangling roar of the black hole above them drowning out his footsteps. She stared up at him, her green eyes flashing upwards at his face as he towered before her, sticking his hands in his pockets as he stared down the bridge of his nose at her.

"Who are you, Yeul?" Riku asked slowly, his eyebrows furrowing as he stared at her. "In all honesty."

"Did I not say already? I am Paddra Nsu Ye—"

"Stop," Riku hissed, and the girl fell silent. "You know what I meant. Where did you come from? Why are you here? What is here?"

"You ask a lot of questions for a boy with such little time."

Riku exhaled sharply through his nose. Yeul was watching him with a new interest sparking in her deep green eyes, and Riku found himself nodding slowly. "I know," he whispered. "But I need you to answer anyway."

"I am who I say," said Yeul, twirling her flower between her thumb and her index finger. "I… came from Paddra. A long time ago, when it still went by that name. I was chosen, as those two, from the Dia and Yun clans are now." Yeul peered up at him and stepped closer. "Is this your wish, then? My life was boring, I don't think you'd want to waste your own precious time on listening to it."

"What do you mean by wish?" he asked in a soft voice, his eyes roving her face.

"So many questions…" Yeul murmured, lowering her head and brushing past him. Riku blinked, the feeling of her hot breath leaving his skin, and he turned his head to watch her step forward. Her back was turned to him, and he watched her long, metallic blue hair float gently behind her.

"Why don't you just answer them then?" Riku growled as he followed after her, growing increasingly angered as she avoided his inquiries. "You're the one who won't shut up about my time running out."

"Yes, I know." She stopped and stood still allowing him to walk around her and stand directly in front of her, his lips pulled back into a grimace as he grabbed the girl's arms and forced her to stare up at him.

"Explain _everything_," Riku barked, his grip tightening around her arms, and he watched her eyes widen as the pain reflected in her glassy green eyes. This surprised Riku, and he felt himself let his fingers slip from her bare skin, the place where he had grabbed her imprinted in two identical bright red handprints.

"I'm sorry," Yeul said slowly, and she blinked fast, her eyes flashing away from Riku's face. "It seems I have not been clear enough." She stepped back, her flower falling from her grasp and fluttering to the ground. Yeul lifted her head high, her beads swinging around her neck. "Riku, son of Xehanort, from the city of the Dark Region. I am here to grant you a single wish before you fall into death's grasp."

* * *

Supposing Ven could feel more then dizzying clouds of strangled emotions, it would be easier to figure out why exactly he felt so completely lost. His heart was pounding against his ribs, begging for an out, because there was no way this could end well. Ven thought… that this all felt so very surreal… like he was flying somehow, despite him being quite firmly on the ground. Alighted, and confused, he looked around, his vision sparkling with the gripping clarity of life pulsing around him. The air was thick with the sparkling rays of dying sunlight, and he breathed in the scent of death, a shudder of pleasure running down his spine. Yes, this was fascinatingly exciting. He had a power inside him that reached out and grasped all his senses, squeezing them and letting them squirm.

But he knew, even though his foggy feelings and grotesque thoughts, that he had a job to do.

It was odd, being a god. Ven felt the universe circling and flashing and ebbing all around him, and yet he couldn't feel the edge. His fingertips twitched and begged for a way to grasp at it, to run his flesh across the fabric of this world, but there was no way. He wondered if this was because the universe simply went on and on forever, without an ultimate end. Or maybe the universe was built around time, and time was something, he realized, that he had no control over. He could hear the steady ticking though, and in his mind he heard the time god laugh at him. He smiled back, sure that he'd never face him again. Ven understood the contract of his power. He was still human, and that could not change. In his new knowledge he was able to understand that he could not possibly handle all of this power, and his body would reject it, as the human body ought to do with poison. Still, his power was clever. Much cleverer than him. It would self terminate itself so its host could live on, and it accepted its short lived fate.

Ven wondered if this power was alive. It felt soft despite its overwhelming grasp and fury, like it wanted to be here to protect. But it understood, as did Ven, that to protect the thing it loved, it had to destroy it.

"Ven!" Xion screamed, her voice a gentle bell, cooing and melodic against the _tick-tick _of Caius's sword tapping against the looking glass. Ven blinked down at her, her face bright and glowing all white against her inky black hair, which bounced around her head in slow motion. God-vision was so odd. "Why would you do that? You can't save her!"

"Yes I can," Ven said, his voice warped and eerie, a child spouting out his own words and screeching against them, gurgling and choking against the power of the booming voice of a man growling through Ven's mouth as well. "I understand what I have to do."

"No." Xion grabbed his arms as Ven moved toward Naminé's body, and he cocked his head at her. He had no time for this, whispered the voice in his head. And Xion had more important matters to tend to. "Listen to me, the powers you have right now? They're poisoning your mind! You can't fight the lust for power, Ven! You'll end up like Xehanort."

"You're assuming," Ven simpered, leaning his face down close to Xion, his voice a fierce hiss of the strangled voices of others, "that I will turn out like him? Rude."

"There's something _not right _about drinking something at gives you godly powers!" Xion gripped his arms tightly as he attempted to shake her off, and she was now pleading, her head bowed. "You could end up hurting her more than helping her!"

Ven's eyes narrowed at her, and he felt his power warp around him and jut out, sending Xion stumbling back, her mouth agape and her eyes wide. "Xion, don't you have a promise to fulfill?" he asked with a toothy grin, his power flashing around him in a stream of curling white light, whipping up and around his head and beating at his back like wispy wings.

Xion stared at him, her pale skin rippling as tears welled in her eyes. Oh, she was only trying to help, reasoned Ven, but the god inside him barked a laugh and snubbed this. It was too late. Her help was not needed anymore.

"Ven," Kairi rasped from behind him, and Ven glanced back at her. She was clutching Sora's arm as he watched Ven with curious eyes, his head tilted to the side. "What's… wrong with you?"

"Nothing at all!" he chortled, spinning around on the tips of his toes and flicking his bangs out of his eyes, his body moving in a strange fashion, as if he were dancing in place. "I'm so fine, Kairi. So fine, I could create a whole new world. How fun would that be?" He grinned broadly and he felt the world flash and churn around him as he dove into the magic, the light spinning fast around him like sand in a storm. He felt himself disappear from the world and appear, dangling in mid air above Kairi, his nose pressed against hers. "So, so fun! Wouldn't it just be grand to live in a world where everything was a fun-fun adventure?"

"Ven…?" Sora croaked, his eyes growing so wide that Ven felt like they would pop. Ven dragged himself back into the void and he jumped out, spinning around and kneeling in front of Naminé, snapping his fingers at Xion, who was attempting to move toward him. She immediately changed direction and began to march down the hallway like a tin soldier, much to Ven's amusement.

"Ven!" Kairi screamed, dropping Sora's arm as Ven scooped Naminé into his lap, a small smile playing on his face. She'd be okay, he told himself. Better off, really.

"Ven, wait, stop," Sora said, his voice slow, and still slightly groggy. "What are you doing?"

Inside his head, the time god continued to laugh. How foolish the human child was. But still, Caius felt like he could relate. From where the time god stood, bending the universe seemed perfectly rational if it meant saving a precious person. Perhaps that's why time was growing to move in Ven's favor. Everything was suddenly clear, and all the fog from his new powers shifted. He leaned down, slipping his hand under the crook of the blonde's neck, and he whispered to her in a soft voice.

"Please forgive me for this, Miss Naminé…" he murmured, tilting her head up and pressing his lips against hers. And at that moment, the entire world was blanketed in darkness as he reached into her mind and felt himself dragged into a world where the sun was dead, and its inhabitants were following soon after.

* * *

"Roxas!" Hope cried with a grin as he lifted his gun. Roxas tilted his head back and nodded to him, a smile appearing on his own lips. "Okay, sweet, I got that right," Hope murmured as Vanille squeaked and waved up at Roxas, her reddish pigtails bobbing at her shoulders.

"I know him!" Vanille gasped, grabbing Hope's arm. Hope stared down at her. "He's one of the Master's wards!"

"Wow, really?" Hope asked, peering at Roxas, whose blade crashed against the blue haired man's, and the boy dashed around, narrowly avoiding a hit. "He's Ven's twin!"

"He has a twin?"

"Yeah…" Hope grabbed Vanille and dragged her out of the way as a vine came snapping over their heads. He held her tightly, and she smiled at him, seemingly content with being dragged around the battlefield. "This is all so crazy! Us running like this. Do you think we should stop and fight?"

"Nope!" Vanille giggled as they ran past Roxas, who had jumped back and was now running around the blue haired man and performing swift attacks with his darkly gleaming Keyblade. "I'm okay with running. It's fun, you know?"

Hope skidded to a stop and spun around as a man stepped behind them. Hope cocked his head to the side, and he let go of Vanille, his curiosity and surprise taking him as he moved forward. "I thought you said you didn't want to come?"

The boy who stood across from him shrugged, tapping his duel swords against the ground and smirking a little. "Eh. I thought I'd take a peek. Not every day you get to take part in a coup de tat." His brown hair danced around his face as the cool winter wind whipped his baggy clothing around his body. Vanille stepped up behind Hope, her eyes widening a little as she recognized her old schoolmate.

"Noel Kriess," she said softly, her bare shoulder brushing Hope's as she cocked her head. Noel jerked his head at her in acknowledgement. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"Yeah," he said with a snort. "Oh, yeah. Don't think we've had an actual conversation since middle school, actually. Like, when I came to the Dark Region."

"You don't exactly _want_ to talk about it," Vanille said through puffed cheeks. "Which I can totally get. But you went out of your way for years to avoid me and Fang."

"I'm not all that comfortable with being interrogated about stuff that happened in the past," Noel said with a shrug. And Vanille sighed, leaning against Hope, who blinked down at her, awkwardly shifting away. "Anyway, I'm up for a party! Let's beat up some guards!"

"I find your enthusiasm frightening," Hope said dryly, his eyebrows furrowed as Noel brushed past them. Hope looked to Vanille with an inquisitive glance. "What are you guys talking about?" he asked as Vanille began to drag him away from Noel, who was heading towards Serah and Snow, probably to perform some kind of big-damn-hero move.

"Noel and I come from the same place," Vanille said with a shrug, not bothering to look at Hope as she spoke chirpily. "You didn't know?"

"Uh, no?"

"Oops." Vanille paused, her hand slipping from Hope's arm. She turned to look at him, her eyes saddened. "He's from my town. He was once called Oerba Yun Noel. But he abandoned that name a long, long time ago."

"He doesn't have an accent, though," Hope pointed out as he ducked a flying knife, glaring back at the blonde woman, Larxene. "I always figured people from where you're from speak like you do?"

"They do," she said slowly. "I mean, for the most part. It's possible that he just grew up around people who weren't from Oerba. So they wouldn't have an accent."

"I… guess?"

"Anyway, it's not surprising he doesn't want to talk about it." Vanille shrugged. "Where we come from, things are… different."

"I can't imagine it being worse than it is here," Hope grumbled as he paused to shoot at the man fighting Tifa, the man with the cards.

Vanille gave him a long, hard look, and Hope felt himself freeze a little. "I guess it just depends on who you are," Vanille said softly.

* * *

Riku nodded slowly. He understood who this girl was now. So he led her to the swing set, and he sat her down, and he stared into her ageless green eyes, knowing now that only death lay beyond them, and that her purpose was simply to let him be at ease for a few small moments. She began to tell him her story, and he listened, half dazed, as she spoke of a sacrifice to a goddess who reigned over the worlds. A sacrifice that meant something to old Etro, who was not perfect despite her almighty status, and thus made herself go blind a decade and a half before the story's start out of utter curiosity. Riku listened, wondering if he was wasting his time with making her explain how she had gotten to this point in her life, but he was alright with it. I wanted to know how the girl had gotten wrapped up in the craziness of death, and time.

She said that the sacrifice had been planned for years. That Etro herself had came to the village and requested she had her eyes back. The village of Paddra did not understand how to fulfill this act until later, when Yeul herself finally revealed that it was she who had Etro's eyes, and that the goddess had warned her that using them came at a huge price.

"They killed you?" Riku asked, sitting beside the girl as she looked up at the darkened sky, the black hole reflecting in her shiny green eyes.

"Yes," she said, tilting her head. Her hair brushed against her pale face, the blue looking like strands of pure silver in the dull light. "But it was not uncalled for. I could not live, not really. Etro never wanted me to. I suppose she wanted a human to spout out some mighty prophecies, and that human happened to be me. I would've died much earlier, but I didn't end up telling anyone my prophecies until I was fifteen."

"And then they killed you?"

"No." Yeul shook her head, gripping the rusty chain links of the swing tightly. "They killed the person I told for some treason, or another. It was then that I told them about my sight, and it was then that I refused to speak the prophecy to anyone else. Out of spite, possibly. I can't remember too clearly now." She sighed and nodded slowly. "Thus Etro had to intervene. She struck me a deal. She would grant my final wish so long as I fulfilled my destiny as her chosen seer, and gave her back her eyes. By doing so she would reward me."

"Wow," Riku said softly. "You… really didn't have a nice life, did you?"

"It was not as bad as you imagine it to be," said Yeul with furrowed eyebrows. "I was never angry with the goddess for what she did to me. I was only ever scared of what was to become of my prophecy, now that my messenger was dead. It was only after I was dead that I found out my final wish."

"Did you not know already?"

"It was a mystery. I had a lot of wishes. I didn't know which one I wanted most. But after I saw it, I realized it was what I wanted all along." Yeul paused, and her head dipped low, as if she were suddenly deep in thought, her hair falling over her face like a long, silky curtain of steely blue. "My wish, Riku, was to be to others what Etro was to me. One last hope."

"So you grant a final wish to… everyone? Who's about to die?"

"Yes," said the tiny girl with a nod. "Knowing that I could have a last wish made me want to give that kind of happiness to the people who helped me throughout my life. I can't… really remember now, but I felt very strongly about it back then. Like I had to give something back. I guess that's why I'm using my last wish this way. Eternity is bearable when you're able to allow people contentment, at least for a moment."

Riku stared at the girl for a moment, the mighty roar of the black hole whistling in his ears, and he dug his feet into the sand pit below his feet, glancing up at the sky. This story was worth wasting precious moments for, Riku thought, nodding to himself. He was glad to understand why this girl was here, and it made him incredibly content to know exactly the reason she did what she was doing.

"What about your prophecy?" Riku asked slowly, peering down at her. This made her look up, her eyes flashing a little bit, as if she was startled by the question.

"My prophecy…?" she murmured, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Yeah." Riku leaned back and frowned. "The person you told died, right? What was _their_ wish?"

Yeul was silent. She opened her eyes and looked straight ahead of her, her body frozen, and her pale fingers locked tight around the old, rusty chains that held her swing up. Riku wondered how intrusive the question could really be, after all, the girl had just told him her life story. But it seemed there was something about his inquiry that shocked her into silence.

"Yeul…?"

"I'm sorry," she said, pushing herself from the swing and awkwardly attempting to straighten herself. She wasn't as lithe as one would expect. "I'm not comfortable with revealing other people's wishes. You must understand."

"I do." Riku shrugged, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I'm just curious. The whole reason for your existence… it was that prophecy, right?"

"More or less."

"Then you had to have told someone else, or else there was no point to any of it."

"Others know of my prophecy, though I did not tell them."

"How do they know, then?" Riku asked, jumping to his feet and sliding in front of the girl so he could face her. "If you didn't tell them?"

"To be honest," said Yeul, staring up into Riku's eyes. "I do not see why it matters now."

"It does matter, though…"

"No." Yeul shook her head. "Your wish matters, and that is all. Tell me what it is."

Riku felt himself swallow hard. He didn't know what his wish was. Could Yeul really grant him one last thing? Was that it? He wondered idly if this was all a trick, something Xehanort had concocted, but he just couldn't bring himself to believe it. So he nodded slowly, and took a deep breath, spinning away from Yeul to stare at the girl incased in ice, frozen tendrils of old flame sticking up and around the girl's metaphysical body. Freezing her seemed harsh, but it was the only way to stop her from destroying everything.

"I don't suppose I can wish to live, can I?"

"That would not be possible," Yeul said slowly, bending down and scooping up the flower she'd dropped from the ground. "Only under unusual circumstances am I allowed to grant that wish."

Riku looked down. He didn't know, honestly. If you had one last wish, what would it be? He couldn't think of one that would suffice the requirements for a final wish.

"How long do I have left?" Riku asked in a hushed tone. Yeul stared at him.

"Not long."

"A few minutes?"

"That is a possibility. Please don't count on that much, though."

Riku took a deep breath, nodding to himself, and he stood up straight. He was ready.

"Alright, Yeul," Riku said, his voice loud and clear over the black hole that ripped through the world around them. Their souls were safe in the playground, though. It was, in fact, haven. "I wish—"

"Don't make a deal with the devil, Riku, buddy!"

Riku spun around, his eyes widening as Ventus marched past him. He looked strange, his eyes glowing with concentrated light, a strange pulsing aura flowing around him as he slid in front of Yeul and grabbed her arm, yanking her away from the silver haired boy.

"You—" Yeul said, her voice rather startled as Ven pushed her to the ground, her long silvery blue tresses blanketing her as she fell against the pavement.

"Oopsies, I think I broke Time's pet," Ven snickered, his arm flying out in a defensive gesture, as if his scrawny appendage would serve as Naminé's shield.

"You can't be here—" Yeul gasped, her eyebrows furrowing in wonder and confusion. "You're… no!" Yeul bolted up straight, her green eyes wide and full of shock and fear. Riku stared at her, his mouth dropping open. He was startled by her sudden burst of emotion. "You drank it, didn't you? The water from my spring!"

"So what if I did?" Ven cocked his head to the side, his milky white eyes glowing with a crippling fierceness.

"That water is cursed," Yeul spat, her voice now quivering with the strange emotions it held. "You must realize by now that by drinking it, your life will never be normal again. You will be tortured for eternity with no hope of escaping. Your thirst for power will never be quelled. You will destroy… everything you ever cared about!"

"Yeul," Riku whispered, standing beside her. He was getting lightheaded. "Ven. What the hell is going on?"

"I drank some magic water," Ven laughed with a shrug. "And it turned me special enough to be able to push death away. Hear that, Yeul? I'm above you."

Yeul pushed herself shakily onto her feet, her knees wobbling, and her facial expression changing from blank to utterly shattered. "Please listen to me," she whispered, her eyes squeezing shut. "If you can fight the curse… then please try to. If I can help, I will try, but there is a possibility that you will become even more fearsome and destructive than Xehanort was."

"You're not a seer anymore, Yeul," Ven spat at her, his white eyes narrowing. "You don't know my fate."

"You know I do," Yeul said, her voice back to its normal monotone. It seemed like she had lost her emotions again, though she looked a bit confused. "You understand, don't you? That spring in Oerba. It was a gift and curse from the goddess for me. To thank and punish the village for what they did to me."

"Yeah, I know." Ven rolled his eyes. "I know all about you. But you're zapping up precious time here, Yeul. I've got work to do. As do you." Ven jerked his head at Riku, who stood behind Yeul with confusion evident in his features. "So let's cut the crap, Yeul. I know I'm doomed, but that doesn't mean Naminé has to be. She at least has a chance."

Yeul stared at him, her deep green eyes glued to the boy's brightly glowing white ones, and it seemed like she was deep in thought. Riku sighed and walked around Yeul, facing Ven with his head high. Ven grinned at him, and waved a little.

"Hiya, Riku," Ven hooted. "Aren't you glad I saved you from the grim reaper?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Riku hissed, his vision growing blurry. "What did you do, Ven?"

"I did what I had to." Ven hummed a soft tune, something soft and familiar. "What will be, will be, you see?"

"Not really, no," Riku growled as he closed his eyes, his head pounding. And words floating in his mind, words that were not his. "How are you _here_?"

"Oh," Ven sighed, leaning back on his heels. "Right. I'm a god now, Riku."

"What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?"

"Um," Ven said, blinking fast, "exactly what I said?"

"Why would you—" Riku gasped before stumbling and falling backwards, slowly, like the world was sluggish, and Ven watched without flinching as he slammed onto his back, his scream ripping through the world around them.

Yeul stood over him, her eyes roving slowly from Riku to Ven. Ven grinned and leaned back against Naminé's frozen arm, his bare skin brushing against the nipping cold ice.

"Well, Yeul," he crooned, "you know what to do."

* * *

Terra grunted as Xehanort swung his blade, catching him hard in the chest, and sending him stumbling back. Terra caught himself before he fell, and he kicked up, punching Xehanort in the gut as he attempted to swing his Keyblade down onto Terra's neck in a beheading motion. They continued swiping at each other, moving like monsters with their huge fits of power growing in an uproar of magic around them. Xehanort used magic without much care, while Terra simply struggled to get out simple earth magic.

Cloud helped as much as he could, but he kept his distance. He couldn't join the fight, not with the fierce family rivalry that the battle had become. Nephew and uncle fought hard to try and destroy the other, but neither were prepared to give up. Blood splashed against the already crimson painted cobble, and blades clanged noisily against each other, sending both Terra and Xehanort into a frenzy.

"I'm not giving up," Terra gasped as Xehanort pushed him back, skidding to a stop against a fallen column. Braig, Aeleus, and Zack were laying behind the said column so their bodies wouldn't be trampled (Terra was not sure if Braig and Aeleus were dead, but he didn't want to kill them).

"I have magic to spare, Terra," Xehanort chuckled. "And endless, endless energy. I can fight you until you drop from exhaustion."

"I'll kill you before that happens!" Terra growled, pushing himself forward and slamming his Keylade against Xehanort's kneeing the man trapped in a boy's body in the stomach. He stumbled back and sent a shield up with a flick of his wrist, moving up as a cluster of boldly glowing magic bullets appeared from above his head and chased Terra until one finally struck him in the arm. Terra hissed, his Keyblade slipping a little, and Xehanort took full advantage of this.

The man came bolting fast in front of Terra, his Keyblade tight in hand, and the silver haired man struck Terra down, sending him flying onto his back and skidding against the ruined cobble, more blood splattering against the rock. Terra gasped a little, pain spiking in his stomach, and he grabbed is abdomen quickly, feeling the wet stickiness of blood oozing there. He reached for his Keyblade, calling for it in his mind, but Xehanot's blade was already at his throat.

"So boring," yawned Xehanort, as a smirk lit up Riku's face. "I thought you'd serve as such a challenge, Terra. Where did I go wrong, training you, hmm?" Xehanort tilted the brown haired man's chin up with the top of his Keyblade. "You really aren't all that bad, though. It's just a shame I have to kill you. Potential, potential…"

"I'd rather this," Terra spat shakily, his fingers tightening over his gut wound, "then having to work for _you _again."

"Then you are a fool," Xehanort whispered, raising his blade from Terra's throat and preparing himself to strike. "I will destroy this world, and create it anew, to fit my dreams, and everything, finally, all that power, will be mine!" Terra thought fast, his Keyblade flashing to his hand, and he was prepared to block his blow and fight back until he really couldn't take it anymore.

But a deafening _crack_, and a gut wrenchingly familiar _shlunk_, and blood splattering across Terra's face stopped him. He stared up at Xehanort, his eyes widening, as the man's golden eyes looked utterly shocked for a long moment, fear encompassing his face, and he screamed as he wobbled on his feet and fell slowly backwards, slamming onto his back. A giant, bloody diamond shaped bullet protruded from his stomach, like a daisy in a meadow, popping straight up toward the sky. Terra's mouth dropped open.

"Rest in peace," Xion said softly, lowering Braig's gun.

* * *

_You guys know how I haven't updated in over a month? Yeah, I'm sorry._

_But, sorry to say, the next chapter was not worth the wait. Like, at all. I hate it. I'm usually more proud of myself than this (hello, hero of pride!), but I totally hate it. It's a gross filler. AND ELEVEN PAGE LONG FILLER. You could actually skip it, really. It wasn't needed. I don't even know why it's there._

_I might end up putting up two chapters at once next time to make up for it? I'll update soon, don't worry. Now that I have the next chapter out of the way, I'm pretty content with writing. Everything is easy when I'm not writing the Rebellion battle._

**_ATTENTION ALL READERS. I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD GO GIVE MY NEW STORY, TWISTED LORE A TRY. PLEASE AND THANK YOU._**

_**Twisted Lore.** It's about fairy tales. It's got mostly every pairing in here in it, with the same main characters. Just an obviously different plot._

_SO I'M WATCHING GAME OF THRONES NOW. =D And it's definitely a good experience, I think it helped me get over a lot of squick factors in stories, like sex and stuff. It happens. I won't be writing it, but it'll be easier to imply this shit happens from now on. Particularly in **Twisted Lore**, considering the time period._

_I'm on Easter break, so I'll be attempting to update loads more during the next week and a half! _

_**TWISTED LORE**. PLEASE. seriously guys i'm like begging you here._

_Review if possible, munchkins, because this chapter doesn't actually suck like the next one. _

_And sorry about the FFXIII-2 overload. Ignore it if you can. Yeul is just a really easy character to use._

_Next Chapter: Time and Sacrifice_

* * *

"Cards shouldn't 'splode," Ventus whispered in awe. "How come his do?"


	88. Time and Sacrifice

**White Knight: Eight Seven :Time and Sacrifice**

"Just you and me, then," Ven said quietly as Riku's astral body shattered against the pavement. Yeul stared sadly at the dust he left behind, a strange pout resting on her lips as she bent down, her knees tucked to her chest, and her body balancing on the balls of her feet. She scooped up a handful of the dust, watching it slip through her fingers with a blank expression.

"And the doomed one, it seems," Yeul said, poking the dust with furrowed blue eyebrows. "I cannot take her, not if you are against me. But you already realize that."

Ven grinned, and Yeul rose to her feet, her eyes closing as she nodded. "Then…" she sighed, looking up at the black hole. "I guess I have outstayed my welcome here."

"You outstay your welcome every time you step into the lives of the living," Ventus spat, and Yeul's eyes flashed slightly wide before she blinked, and ceased the display of emotion as if it were just a speck of dust that had blown into her eye.

"This is my gift," Yeul said, her monotone voice hushed. "You can judge me, but you cannot do anything about that. The goddess has cursed me again and again, but this is my wish, poison drinker, and if I overstep the boundaries made by a goddess without sight, so be it."

"So be it," Ven echoed, his eyes moving downward, and his head bowing.

"It's all an act," Yeul observed as she cut a hole through the fabric of the mind world with the tip of her index finger. "Your power madness. I was not sure at first, but you are different from him. You understand well how your actions will effect your life in the worst of ways, but you do not seem to care."

Ven looked up at her, his eyes widening a little. "How _can_ I care?" he asked, a smile tight on his lips. "I just want her to be safe… my future doesn't really matter anymore."

"You're foolish," Yeul said, her eyes growing wide as well. "It's not just your future you are jeopardizing here, you realize? Everyone will be affected by this decision!" Her voice raised to a high point, and her eyebrows furrowed as she breathed heavily. "You won't be able to control it— the lust for power. It will consume you."

Ven looked at her sharply, and he stood up straighter, his face holding a determination that had not been there before. "I don't believe that," he said, his voice low, and his fists clenched. "I refuse to become someone like Xehanort."

Yeul shrugged a little and shook her head, her long silvery hair flowing with a strange elegance as she spun around. "You cannot fight fate, Ventus," she said softly, her green eyes flashing back to him as she stepped back and allowed herself to be consumed by the void, the hole she'd clawed zipping shut the moment she disappeared.

Ven stared after her, his mind racing with the events of her past. He didn't understand how this knowledge came to him— all he had to do was think of her face, and the entirety of her history came pouring into his brain. He smiled sadly up into the abyss. It seemed like everyone had a shitty life in this world.

_Ven…_

Ven glanced behind him, his smile dropping into a frown. That wasn't Naminé. His mind churned out information, telling him exactly who was probing his mind, and why, and Ven couldn't help but laugh. He closed his eyes, and imagined himself tossing a little parcel full of the correct information into the air to reach across space and reach the beggar.

Ven sighed, his heart racing as tried to regain his normal thoughts. But there was a twinge in his heart, a desperate plea to change everything. He understood what he could do. He could destroy the world, and recreate it in an image that he found acceptable. He could change the past, mold it to his liking, and make sure none of this ever happened. He could stop Xehanort's insanity, and make sure that when the present came around, there was no war, no destruction, not even a wall to separate the two rival kingdoms.

But he realized how different things would be without all of those awful things. So many people would not exist, and that thought made him recognize the fault in this perfection. Ventus was too selfish to let his own memories fall away. He thought he understood once what it meant to be the better person in a war, but it was all so foolish now that he could see everything clearly. He was faced with the sky, and he was faced with the universe, and he could feel the faded eyes of the goddess on his back, waiting for him to screw up. Therefore…

He spun around, his eyes falling on the poor frozen girl, and he sighed, feeling the buzz of power gnaw at his brain, his thoughts swarming with the knowledge he now possessed, and the need to destroy and create was becoming too tempting to resist. But he would sate it soon. There was only so much time left until this power disappeared forever. So Ventus stepped forward, raising his hand toward the sky, and listening as the roaring of the black hole ceased, replaced by a deafening silence.

Ven looked down at his hand, blinking at the black hole as it spun wildly in his palm, now barely the size of an orange. Ven watched it, waving his hand over the hole and feeling the suction. He smiled a little and looked up at the sky. Everything was dark without the light of the black hole, but he could still see. He was not fazed by any of this and Ven hummed a little, raising his had and stroking the sides of the black hole, his mind cracking with information. This was an illusion, but it was still real in a way.

"Poor little monster," Ven whispered, peering at the dead star, a frown playing on his lips. Ven crushed it in his palm, listening as it crunched. "We could've been friends."

He sighed and shook his head, tossing it back into the air, closing his eyes as light sprayed across the world, splattering the astral plane with color. He opened his eyes, watching as the light from the new sun hit Naminé, making the surface of her ice glitter like diamonds. Ven was saddened at the sight, and he rubbed his head, trying to ignore the headache he had.

_knight_

That's right… he was still her knight. And that was why he had to do this. It was the only way to save her.

Ven stepped forward and placed his hand on Naminé's head, his fingers brushing her frigid flesh, and he smiled as the sheet of ice that encased her melted away in a swift swirling motion. Ven watched as the girl's face was exposed to him, and his fingers met her hair, soft and flaxen, as aesthetically appealing as threads of gold. Once her body was completely free, she fell forward, no longer able to keep herself standing, and Ven grabbed her, letting her face fall against his neck. He felt his mind cool a little, and suddenly his throat was constricting, and he squeezed his eyes shut, wrapping his arms around her and clutching her tightly.

There was silence around them for a long moment, and her eyelashes brushed against his jugular. She breathed in deeply, her body rather limp, and Ven pulled away, trying to keep his tears at bay. She stared at him, her blue eyes wide with awe as he grasped her hands.

"Ventus…?" she gasped, shock overcoming her face. "What are you… where…" She looked around, her eyebrows furrowing, and Ven grabbed her face, forcing her to look him directly in the eyes. She stared at him, her mouth dropping open. "I… can't…" she said, her voice breaking up. "I feel… funny. My head… I remember… everything…"

"Don't worry," Ven said quietly, leaning his forehead against hers. She stared at him, her eyes focused and full of fear.

"Ventus…?" she repeated, the pitch of her voice heightening.

"I promise you'll be fine."

* * *

Roxas grabbed Axel by the collar and yanked him to his feet. "You know, it's really sad that I have to save your scrawny ass all the time," Roxas sighed, pushing Axel playfully as he flung a ball of light at the blue haired man, Saix. Axel stared at him, his green eyes flashing as he jumped back, Saix moving quickly to pummel Axel into the ground.

"Yeah, yeah," Axel grunted, scooping up his fallen weapons and shaking the blood of his face. "Took you long enough to show up, you tiny bastard."

"I was busy," Roxas said, his tone amused as he skidded back and kicked himself upward, spiraling over Saix's head and landing behind him easily, his shoes grinding against the cobble. Axel jumped up, flicking one of his chakrams away as he snapped his fingers, a flame materializing in the air before him, bursting forward in a flash of heat and light.

"What the hell is with this guy!" Roxas shouted, his blade crashing against Saix's, and the boy flipped upwards again, kicking the man in the jaw and spiraling back, landing easily on his feet again. Saix paused for a moment to compose himself, his eyes flashing at Roxas. But he said nothing, skidding back as Axel moved in to attack.

"Ha ha!" Axel cried back swiping Saix's side as the man spun around and moved at Axel with an incredible speed, like a bolt of lightning flashing forward. Axel stumbled back, his arm linking with Saix's, and the red headed man kicked his leg up, swinging around and connecting it against his jaw. Saix growled as Axel jumped back, his back bumping against Roxas's. "Damn, it's a long story, man, let's save it for another time!"

Roxas's eyebrows rose, and he shifted his grip on his blade. "Yeah, okay, Axel," he snorted, pushing off and tucking his left leg under his right, slipping into a sliding stance and skidding across the cobble, cutting down Saix with a quick slash at the back of the man's knees. Roxas gasped as he was dragged upwards by his hair, and he jerked away, already tasting the blood in his mouth as the man's weapon smacked hard against his jaw, sending him flying.

Roxas skidded on his stomach, the cobble hot against his flesh, and he flinched a bit, spitting a bloody tooth with his features scrunched in disgust. He felt his adrenaline wear down as he laid sprawled against the road, and he breathed heavily, the staunch smell of burning wood and rubber hitting his nose, and he coughed, pushing himself up carefully, licking his chapped, bloody lips.

The savior brigade came soon enough, to his amusement. He felt himself being dragged up onto his feet and hauled away from the scene, but his eyes met the dark blue gaze of a soldier with a fur trimmed neckline, and Roxas smiled to himself. So Leon was back, huh? It was about time. Roxas made haste to hide as something sailed over his head, a bullet, or a bomb, he couldn't be sure, and he collapsed against the side of a building, huffing and gasping, clutching his throbbing side and hissing at the burns he'd received from the stone.

"Are you alright?" gasped a high voice, and Roxas looked up. There were two young women before him, one short, and scantily clad despite the chilling late winter winds, and the other dressed as a woman soldier would be. She was clutching a bow shakily in both hands, while the scantily clad girl, who held herself with much more confidence, held two gleaming knives.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Roxas grunted, pushing down his borrowed shirt to cover the burns on his stomach. He managed a smile at the blonde girl, who was tapping her foot and staring him down with a gaze that suggested she wasn't buying it. The other girl was quieter, her face a soft image in the roughness around him. She was the prettier of the two, though maybe that was only because she didn't have dirt and blood smudged across her nose and forehead. She smiled at him, glancing back worriedly, as if she wondered if she should keep fighting or just sit it out.

"You're Serah," Roxas remarked, turning his head to spit blood onto the pavement, wiping his lips weakly. She nodded, her strawberry pink hair floating around her head like cotton candy, and the blonde one grinned.

"Ah, hey, your Venny-boy's twin bro, right?" she asked, snapping her fingers and cocking her head to the side. A silly grin appeared on her lips. "Coolio!"

"Um, yeah, I'm him," Roxas said, awkwardly shifting from side to side as he raised his hand to his jaw to heal himself. He was feeling lightheaded. "Have we met, or…?"

"Naw," the girl laughed, waving her hand. "I just took a wild guess, 'cause Ventus is supposed to be somewhere at the mansion, or something."

"Well, truthfully, I should be too," Roxas sighed, rubbing his chest and glancing at his Keyblade. He wondered what had happened to Oathkeeper. "But I thought you guys could use my help a bit more."

"We're managing," Serah said slowly, brushing a bit of soft looking strawberry pink hair behind her ear. "I don't think we've lost too many people, right, Rikku?"

"We're holding," the blonde chirped, her green eyes bright. "I don't think we've really lost anyone yet, right?"

"Um…" Serah bit her lip, and Roxas watched her with wide eyes. Something in her expression told him she had bad news.

Roxas pushed off the wall as Hope came skidding into the alley, his gun swinging fast from the strap, and an arm slung over his shoulder, a boy hanging limping at Hope's side. Roxas's eyes widened, and he banished his blade, wiping off his bloody, dirt streaked hands on his pants as Hope scrambled into the alley and toppled onto his side, rolling onto his back with a groan as he tried to get a grip on the brunet boy he'd dragged with him.

"Hope!" Serah gasped, dropping to her knees beside him. Hope waved her off as he pushed himself up and grabbed his gun.

"Noel's down," Hope coughed, blood dribbling from a cut on his forehead. "I think Vanille's down too. She got pinned to the wall, but Snow was right there, so I…" Hope breathed. "I had to choose who to save."

Roxas stared at him for a moment, before shaking his head quickly and stepping up beside the injured boy, Noel. Protruding from his stomach were two identical knives. Roxas blinked at them, noting their familiarity, and he looked up, his eyebrows furrowing. As he did so, and cried out and jumped back, a card whizzing past his head at an amazing speed, causing him to backpedal into Hope, who gasped, nearly falling flat on his back as well.

There was a man in the alleyway, a well built man with a stocky enough frame, a coat flowing to his knees, and a smile coy on his lips. He had blond facial hair, and he looked rather normal Roxas realized, like a man you'd bump into at a pub and have a short, friendly conversation with. Roxas gathered himself and spun around, dropping on one knee beside Serah, who was staring wide eyed at the man who had flicked out another card.

"Get him against the wall," Roxas whispered, his hand flying up as the man released the card, and magic seeped from his fingers, glimmering in the sunlight as it arched high above him, and the card hit like glass against brick, shattering on impact. The shield melted a second later, receding into Roxas's palm. He breathed, trying to save his magic, but he knew he'd have to deal with using it.

"Hi, there," Roxas hissed, rising tp his feet and backing up beside Hope, who had his gun ready. Rikku stood in front of them, knives tight in hand, and she waited.

For a moment Roxas could hear nothing but the clash of battle, and the roaring of a Summon.

And then the man flicked his wrist, and a deck of cards appeared in hand, spread out so Roxas could see their gleaming surface, words scrawled over diamonds and spades, spells whispered across sheets of magic. Serah had dropped her bow, and she dragged Noel toward the wall, propping him up and whispering something in his ear. He stared dazedly ahead, his lips trembling. Arrows were spilled across the ground.

Rikku moved forward first, dashing with her long orange scarf flying behind her as she ducked under the man's arm and slashed. He stood there, his eyes straight ahead, a smile creeping on his lips as the knife caught skin, tearing through his coat easily, and the girl jumped back, skidding and raising her arms to guard against a counterattack. Roxas blinked, his eyes flashing between the two. Wait a minute…

Didn't he know this man?

Roxas gasped and spun around, throwing himself against the ground as he heard the familiar hiss of the explosive card as it ignited, and Rikku screamed.

"_Cards shouldn't 'splode," Ventus whispered in awe as he peered over the edge of Ansem's ornate writing desk. "How come his do?"_

_Roxas elbowed Ven, pushing him down roughly by his head and clambering over his back to sneak a peek over the ledge, blinking slowly as the fire lit up his eyes. He felt a grin on his lips. "Magic…" he replied in a soft voice._

"Oh, shit," Roxas hissed, rolling onto his back and flipping onto his feet, steadying himself as a card came whizzing at him. He flicked his wrist, power rushing around him, and the card was crushed against a shield he had managed to prop up. He stared at the man through his crumbling barrier, Roxas's deep blue eyes growing narrow as he continued to recognize the man. Yes, he knew him. Roxas knew a lot of people.

"Rikku, you okay?" Roxas called to the girl without tearing his eyes from the man's. She was crumpled against the ground a few feet away, her shoulder sizzling slightly. The burn wasn't that intense enough to waft the smell of cooked flesh over to Roxas, however, so she was probably fine. She groaned a little, but said nothing.

"How did he…" Hope gasped shortly, stumbling backwards. Roxas shushed him.

"Roxas…" Serah whispered in a panicked tone from her seat beside Noel. "Roxas, he just… moved. I can't explain…"

"You don't have to," Roxas sighed, closing his eyes. This was not going to end well. Roxas understood his chances in this battle, and unlike with Marluxia and Larxene… they weren't great. Because Luxord was tricky.

And tricksters never played fair.

Roxas made a slow faux bowing motion, his lips tightening as he gazed at the man who had once been a friend of his father. "Luxord," Roxas breathed, feeling unsteady. "I didn't realize you've… sided with Xehanort."

Luxord cocked his head to the side, and he stepped forward, his coat swaying. "Hmm…?" the man rumbled, his lips quirked upward. "Oh, you're Ansem's boy… dear, that's unpleasant luck." The man tsked softly and glanced up at the sky. "You boys were the pinnacle of Ansem's research."

Roxas felt anger spike inside of him, and he summoned his blade, his eyes narrowing. "I don't care about my father," Roxas spat, pushing Hope back a little as the boy raised his gun. "I just want to know something."

Luxord looked at Roxas, his eyes sparking with curiosity, and he smirked, nodding curtly. "Fair enough," he said. "I have time. Please… Roxas, is it? Ask away."

Roxas breathed in sharply, a plan formulating in his mind. He'd never make it in a real fight against Luxord, not with his power running amok. "Why is all of this necessary?" Roxas blurted, feeling numb and tired, his eyes growing wide as he stared at his enemy's face, his face growing fearful. "Why are you siding with Xehanort, when you know that everything he does he does for _himself_?"

Luxord blinked twice, his head cocking to the side as he gave the boy a once over, his lips quirking. Hope gave Roxas a nudge, and Roxas shook his head at him. Luxord stepped forward and Ven rose his blade, though only to guard himself. His eyes were difficult to read, but there was a strange desperation in their depths.

"Answer me," Roxas hissed.

Luxord rolled his eyes. "Of course," Luxord said with a chuckle, feigning a bow. "You are the son of my old comrade. I should treat you with respect."

"Guys," Serah said loudly from her place on the ground, her voice high and distressed. Roxas glanced at her, but he did nothing more. "Noel is—"

"I'm fine!" the brunet growled. Roxas didn't bother to check his condition. If he could shout, he had to have at least a few minutes left.

"Then tell me," Roxas said, nodding slowly. "I need to know this now. People don't just commit sins without reason, Luxord, there is always a trigger, and I want to know what happened to make all of this real!"

Luxord smiled. "You want to know the root behind the evil in this world, boy?" asked the man, his teeth glinting in the rays of the dipping sun. "Perhaps you should crack open a history book?"

"Hey, we don't have time to shit around with this guy!" Rikku gasped, pushing herself onto her good side, a tear rolling down her cheek as she groaned. "What the heck was that teleport thing he did?"

"Time manipulation," Roxas said quietly. "Luxord can control time."

"But I thought that was impossible…" Serah whispered, her eyes darting fast between Roxas and Luxord. "I mean, I'm sure mages can do it, and stuff, but… not really well. Time is off limits to humans, right? It's like a god thing."

"_Someone _was paying attention in history class, then!" Luxord smiled at her and nodded in approval. Serah shrunk back.

"This isn't the point," Roxas said, shaking his head. "Answer me!"

"Your question is…" Luxord glanced up at the sky. "Ah, right, why I follow Xehanort, correct?" He stepped forward, and disappeared, only to resurface directly beside Roxas, who cried out and flung himself backwards. "The reason is rather simple. I always bet on the winning horse."

"Lame," Rikku grumbled as she pulled herself from the ground. Luxord smirked and glanced down at her. Roxas stared, frozen for a moment. He then flung out his left hand, a spiral of fire shooting from his palm, but it was too late. In a flash, a swift sliding of cards swishing in the air, Rikku was flung into the air and slapped back down with a sickening crunch.

Roxas stared, speechless as his fire hit the alley wall and left nothing but a scorch mark. Rikku laid sprawled, her exposed abdomen bloody from the slash of cards. They did not explode this time, but they sure made a mark on her. Roxas was beginning to feel light headed, and he wondered if he'd run out of magic before he had the chance to heal the blonde, and Noel.

Roxas pushed himself back and wound around Luxord, breathing fast to calm himself. How was he supposed to beat a man who could stop time? Luxord could easily slaughter them all… but he hadn't yet.

"Luxord!" Roxas shouted as Hope shot, and ducked as a card flew at him. Luxord glanced back at Roxas. "Look, let's make a bet!"

"Ven, this—! I mean, damn, Roxas! This isn't the time!" Hope cried shooting another bullet and watching as it hit Luxord in the shoulder. The man stumbled back, crying out as his coat caught fire. Roxas glared at Hope.

"Just trust me," he hissed. Luxord padded out the fire and summoned three more cards, but Roxas slid fast between him and Hope. "No, listen! We used to do this when me and Ven were little, you remember? You'd play card tricks with us, and let us bet against each other, right? So let's do that now. One game, you and me."

"Roxas…" Serah warned, but Roxas waved her off.

He knew Luxord was sold on the idea just by his expression, a wild curiosity sparking in his eyes as he stared at Roxas's face. Roxas swallowed hard and nodded to emphasize his seriousness. Luxord then shrugged. "Of course," he said with a tight smile. "I cannot turn down a game."

"Right," Roxas said quickly, realizing they were crunched on time. "So, rules. We fight, hand to hand, no weapons, just man and fist. No time shenanigans, no explosives, no blades, no magic. Fair?"

Luxord snorted and rolled his eyes. "Not quite," he said, waggling a finger, and Roxas felt his stomach drop a little. "No, how about something a little more difficult…"

"That sounds pretty difficult to me," Hope remarked dryly, and Roxas shushed him.

"What is it?" Roxas asked, his eyes flickering from Noel to Rikku. This was bad.

"A guessing game, I think." Luxord chuckled and stepped toward Noel, who did not look up. Roxas's chest clenched, and the grip of his blade slipped through his fingers. Was he dead, then? Had Roxas waited too long? "How about this, rather simply. I will give you one minute to guess this boy's reason for living." Luxord nudged Noel's boot. "If you do not, I will be forced to kill you all."

"Wait," Roxas gasped, waving his hands. "Stop! I can't just guess something like that! I don't even know him!"

"Are we going to die, or…" Hope squeaked, glancing at Serah, who stood up, her eyes growing wide with fear.

"Roxas, wait a minute…"

"Everyone shush!" Roxas growled, glaring at Luxord. "You need to give me some kind of hint, here!"

"Fourty five seconds." Luxord smiled. "But, yes, alright. Think death."

"What," Roxas said flatly. "What?"

"He lives… to die?" Hope asked slowly. "That makes no sense."

"It's a hint, not the answer!" Serah gasped.

"I need a legitimate hint, something I can work with!" Roxas's eyes flashed to Noel, who lifted his head a little, his face gleaming with swear, and his broken gaze resting on Roxas's face.

"Thirty seconds," Luxord said, sticking his hands in his pockets. Roxas stumbled back. This was a dumb idea.

_I'm such an idiot, _Roxas thought, feeling himself back up against a wall. _Why did I think I could beat him? This is it, then. I'm actually going to die here. Everyone… Kairi, and Sora, and Ven…_

_Ven…_

"Twenty seconds."

"Roxas!"

"Shit…" he breathed. He glanced up at the sky, his breathing heavy, and he began to pray. He had no idea what he was praying to, but he just had to hope. Roxas did not want to die, and he was not sure he could put up a fight against Luxord. He tried to imagine it, but time was too sticky to get close to.

Roxas gasped and looked down as he felt something stir in his brain, like someone had gently knocked on his forehead and asked permission to enter. Roxas looked around the alley for a moment, startled at the sudden thrumming that graced his mind. But his vision was growing too hazy to see everyone else's reactions. Roxas grew frightened, his heart drumming fast in his chest, and he felt himself slide downward against the wall, falling to his knees.

And then a name floated on the tip of his tongue, a random bunch of letters that tickled his thoughts and nudged him forward. Roxas didn't understand. Something inside him told me that this was correct, but he simply could not fathom how he came to this conclusion. Had his prayers been answered in some way? Had the gods… if there were gods… decided to let him live for whatever reason?

Roxas had to stop caring.

He looked up sharply as Luxord readied a batch of cards, and Serah and Hope tried desperately not to fall into their despair. "Five seconds," Roxas heard the blond man say, and the boy exhaled. He had nothing to lose now.

"Yeul!" he blurted, stumbling to his feet. Serah and Hope looked at him, their eyes wide with fright and confusion. Noel's head perked, and he stared at Ven as well, his mouth parting a bit. "That… that's it."

Luxord turned to face Roxas, his eyebrows furrowing as his smile slipped. Roxas summoned Oblivion again, this time with more confidence. He raised the blade and smiled a little. "Am I right?"

Luxord said nothing. He glanced at Noel, who was still staring at Roxas, and he bowed his head a little. "It seems you are," he said slowly, turning on his heel. "I believe this is a sign from fate to retire for the day."

"Yeah," Roxas said breathlessly. "Yeah, good idea."

Luxord shrugged and waved back at the blond boy as he exited the alley, disappearing from sight. Roxas blinked, shocked for a moment, before he ran for Rikku, dropping to his knees beside her and placing his hands on her stomach, squeezing his eyes shut and whispering, "Please, please, please…"

Magic seeped from his fingers and latched onto the girl's bloodied form, and Roxas jumped up, his eyes following the shimmering green light that flowed around him. He spun around and slid forward on his knees, his hands hovering over the knives stuck inside Noel's flesh. He looked up.

"Sorry that took so long," Roxas murmured. "Luxord is just… really difficult."

The boy stared at him, his eyebrows furrowing. His head lolled to the side. "You…" Noel choked, his lips drawing back into a grimace.

Roxas yanked the knives from the boy's stomach and tossed them aside, ignoring his scream of pain, and he pressed is already blood soaked hands against his abdomen, feeling his magic get to work and move around the injured boy's wounds, weaving his skin back together.

"I'm sorry," Roxas said, rising to his feet, and looking back at the boy with wide eyes. "I really am. This is all getting really crazy."

"Ow," Rikku whined, flopping onto her back and rubbing her stomach. "You're telling me!"

"Is he really gone?" Serah asked worriedly as she moved to help Rikku up.

Roxas looked down and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think so."

Noel moved slowly, rising to his feet in a sluggish fashion, his eyes on Roxas's face. Roxas turned to face him, giving him a small smile of encouragement as he turned slowly toward the entrance of the alley. The moment he moved forward however, he heard Serah cry out, and the rustle of movement caused Roxas to spin around, his eyes wide.

Noel was kneeling on the ground, his eyes narrowed at Roxas, and his fingers taut on the string of Serah's bow, an arrow poised to spring forth and strike Roxas through the chest. The boy's mouth dropped open.

"What are you doing?" Roxas gasped, glancing between Hope, Serah, and Rikku, who were all staring at Noel with shock evident in their faces.

Noel stared up at Roxas for a long moment and smiled. "Sorry," he said, "but I can't let the prophecy be fulfilled."

-line break

Aqua felt weary as she pushed herself toward the door, her muscles aching, and her eyelids feeling heavy. She rubbed her cheeks with the back of her hand, her chest constricting as she tried to get herself to breathe normally again. She stood still for a moment, leaning her head against the door, and feeling her breath rattle in her throat. She should've been prepared for this… but she hadn't been. She had not expected Vanitas's death to impact her so much, and…

"Stop," she growled to herself, pushing back from the door. "Stop it."

She shook her head and wiped her eyes, glaring at the door with a sudden hatred. This wasn't her fault. It wasn't her fault at all! She'd tried to save him. But the boy had been too far gone and there was nothing for her to do!

She tried to convince herself this— that she was not at fault. But in her heart she knew that this was a lie. She could have prevented this someway, and she knew it. So she stood, her body shuddering as she tried to contain her sobs and tears, and she swallowed them down, raising her head. There was no time for this right now. There was still a war going on.

Aqua pushed open the doors with a force that was not necessary, listening as they swung and smacked against the wall, shaking the doorframe. She summoned Rainfell and walked forward, her eyes glued ahead. She paused as her eyes fell on the duo who had spun around in shock at the noise. She swallowed hard, her eyes flickering between the two of them.

"Aqua…?" Kairi gasped, moving forward a little, her eyes widening in delight. Aqua nodded at her, before her gaze finally settled on her companion. She watched him as he smiled, nudging Kairi a little as he nodded to himself.

"See, I told you!" he laughed, ruffling his spiky brunet hair. "She's fine!"

"I…" Kairi breathed, looking down. "Oh, god, I had so much to say! I forget everything now!"

Aqua said nothing. Her eyes were glued on Sora's face, her mind picking out all the subtle differences. His skin was too dark, and healthy looking, and his eyes were too calm, too cool, and then there was of course the hair, which was a chestnut brown instead of the midnight black she had become accustomed to seeing. She wanted to say something, but her tongue felt heavy in her mouth, and her body was limp. Aqua thought that she should be surprised that the boy was alive, but she couldn't bring herself to be. Something inside of her told her that it was because of her evil friend's death that this kind boy lived.

Aqua didn't know how to feel about that.

She certainly was not happy.

But she would live.

Aqua pushed past her little sister, and the boy who was not Vanitas, and she stood in front of the oddest sight. Ventus, her friend, her brother, had his lips locked tight against Naminé's. This would've been less unusual, if it wasn't for the spiraling sphere of light that wound fast around the duo, like a little translucent white sun. Aqua stared for a moment, speechless, and she turned to look at Kairi, ignoring Sora's confused face as it popped up beside her.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse. "What's wrong with Ven?"

Kairi's eyes widened, and she looked down, biting her lip. "Well, um," she breathed. "It's… it's hard to explain. He…" Kairi looked up at Sora, who glanced down at Kairi, before shrugging.

"He drank something funny!" Sora cried, causing Aqua to step back in shock. "Kairi said it's a potion of some kind, gives you almighty power, or something."

"Yeah," Kairi said slowly. "Um, omnipotence? Master said a long time ago that it can save anyone from any ailment, even death."

"Is that what happened to you?" Aqua asked, her eyes flashing to Sora. The boy blinked, as if he had not expected the hostility. He shook his head.

"Nope, I just woke up alive."

Aqua looked down at Rainfell, her heart beating hard and fast, as if she was frightened, and had just ran a mile. She looked back up at Sora, her lips tight.

"Life doesn't work like that," she said quietly, pushing past the duo and walking down the hallway, feeling a tear slip down her cheek.

* * *

_I finished the 'technical' last chapter of this story about half an hour ago, and it was about five pages of filler. The Epilogue will be more fulfilling. _

_I decided to split the next chapter up, so instead of a twelve page chapter we have one seven page chapter which is actually pretty cool, and one five page chapter which sucks really bad._

_This story has been really fun to write, but I'm done with it. I don't have the muse to write it anymore, so maybe that's why the last chapter came out so weird. Putting that aside, I think the Epilogue will be better. I'll write it when I feel like it, but I'm focusing more on Twisted Lore, and a personal project at the moment._

_Seriously, if anyone is still reading this story and hasn't read Twisted Lore, go read it, I swear it's better._

_Hey, where'd Shanna run off to? *Blinks*_

_Oh shit, I better try and write some Celandines while I'm on this writing thing. Or maybe I should just go on and continue writing that personal story, I like the characters I made up. _

_Whatever. This story will come to a close in three chapters. That's a warning for all of you!_

_Next Chapter: Forget Me Not_


	89. Forget Me Not

**White Knight: Eighty Nine :Forget Me Not**

"Noel, stop!" Serah screamed. He ignored her, his head cocking to the side. Roxas breathed heavily, his arms raising in surrender, and his mind swimming with confusion.

"What are you doing?" Roxas choked out. "I just saved you!"

"I know." The man wrinkled his nose. "I know, that's what makes this harder. I mean… damn it! I'm really sorry. But you can't live."

"What?" Roxas whispered, his heart pounding.

There was a sharp clicking, and Noel's eyes twitched. Hope's rifle was now pointed at the man's neck, fully loaded, and ready to fire. Roxas stared between the two of them. "Hope, don't…" he said, feeling as if he'd been stripped down to the bone, and now everyone could see his weaknesses.

"You shoot, I shoot," Hope said calmly, his eyes narrowed.

Noel smiled, and Roxas let himself gasp softly as the realization hit him. The boy did not care. "You shooting me will be a blessing," Noel said quietly, his smile gentle and knowing. "After I kill him, I'm done living anyway."

"What do you mean?" Serah gasped, her head jerking around. She looked almost as scared as Roxas felt, her face twisted in a betrayed and heartbroken expression. It occurred to Roxas that Serah probably knew the boy. "Noel, what are you doing? Killing Roxas is… it won't solve anything! Just… just put my bow _down_!" Roxas blinked at the sharp command in her voice, as if she had the authority to actually sway Noel, and Roxas remembered that this was Lightning's sister, and it was now showing.

And to Roxas's utter surprise, Noel lowered the bow, his eyes growing wide. The alley was struck into shocked silence, and the five of them glanced around at each other in awe. Rikku stared at Serah, and Noel stared at Roxas, and Roxas stared at Noel, as did Hope, and Serah's eyes flashed between the three of them.

"Sure," Rikku said in a breath. "Listen to her!"

"Sorry," Noel said slowly, his eyes moving down toward the ground. "I… thought you were someone else."

"_What_?" Roxas choked, feeling his legs give way beneath him, and he fell onto his knees as relief washed over him. He probably could've guarded himself, but his shock and fear had prevented him from thinking logically. "What the _hell_?"

"Noel," Serah said, her voice quiet, and her eyes dark. "Explain. Now."

Noel sighed, and he glanced at Hope's gun. It was still against his neck. "Hey, buddy, you mind?" Noel shuffled away from the barrel, and Hope frowned, lowering it. He said nothing. "Well… crap, this is difficult, um…"

"Spit it out," Rikku moaned, glancing back at the battlefield behind them. "I think Tifa just killed someone."

"Good for her," Noel said dryly. "Okay, so when I was out of it I kind of had a… um… vision, you can call it."

"Are you serious?" Hope's eyebrows raised, and Noel glared at him.

"Yes," Noel said, tossing the bow and arrow down. "Now shut up, this is hard enough as it is. I never really intended on telling anyone about it."

"Well what did you expect?" Serah asked stiffly, glancing at Roxas, who was pushing himself to his feet. "You'd have to say something after killing Roxas!"

"I wasn't planning on living that long afterwards," Noel sighed, ruffling his hair. "And he's not the one I wanted to kill. I forgot he was a twin."

Roxas froze, and he looked up at Noel, his eyes dark. "You meant to kill Ven?" Roxas whispered, feeling his body tense. Noel nodded, keeping himself silent as he glanced away. "Why?"

Noel groaned, and Serah picked up her bow, glancing at Noel warily. It was obvious she was hurt by his actions. "Because… okay, look. I know a lot of stuff, and most of it is bad. Like, apocalypse bad. A friend of mine called it Ragnarok. She… showed it me before, and it's bad. For years and years I've been stuck with this image in my head, fire and blood and flesh and human monsters, all meshed together, like… someone just grabbed everything scary and shitty about the world and stuck it in a pot, and melted it all together. So, that was the future this girl foretold, and when she made me see it I thought, '_well, that's not for a few thousand years, or something, why should I care?'_ And I didn't. Not for awhile." He shifted uncomfortably under the gazes of the four of them. "But then I died, and… it all made sense."

"Wait," Rikku said, raising a knife. "Hold up. You died? Sorry, blatant lies much?"

"You're right here," Roxas said quietly. "Alive. What do you mean, you died?"

"Noel, is this about that girl? The one you grew up with?" Serah asked, her voice sounding as if it were pleading.

"I don't understand," Hope muttered, looking embarrassed as he spoke those words. Roxas shrugged at him.

"I died," Noel repeated, closing his eyes. "It was a really long time ago. I can't remember half of how it happened, but I remember feeling scared, and there was this itchy bag over my head, and I couldn't see. Then I got a killer headache… sorry, no pun intended, and then it was over. I felt nothing. But I understood everything." He rolled his head back and sighed. "Sorry, I can't explain it any better than that. Maybe you'll find out when you die, but I'm pretty sure things of changed since then. Yeul changed the death system pretty drastically."

"I still don't get it," Hope said, his eyebrows furrowing. Everyone else stayed silent.

"So Yeul, my really good friend, she died a little after I did, and then she did something stupid. She made a deal with this goddess that made her life miserable from the moment she was born, and she decided that she wanted death to be different. I guess she knew what it was like… she was a weird girl, so she knew a lot of stuff like that. So she wanted to mold death with her own hands, and she got her wish. Whenever someone dies, Yeul goes to them and asks them what they want, what the last thing they want in the entire world is. Usually people say something stupid, because they're not thinking, but… anyway, I was the first person she went to, and she made me think really carefully. She took me to a place we used to go to when we were younger, but it was really empty and creepy. I think it was in my head. Okay, sorry, getting off track… so she gave me this wish, and I wished to be able to stop her prophecy from coming true." Noel pursed his lips and looked up. "Any of this clicking?"

"Yes," Roxas said, and Serah echoed him. Hope shrugged a little, and Rikku simply laughed uneasily. "Your friend Yeul made a prophecy that the world would end… right? That's what you're saying? And you came back to life to stop it?"

"Yeah." Noel smiled. "Nice to know you followed that."

"Yeah," the blonde muttered. "So, my brother? How does he fit into this?"

"I almost just died," Noel said with a shrug. He began to walk forward slowly. "I don't age because of the task I was given by Yeul, so I've just been bumming around for a few centuries, watching chosen come and go. Ask Vanille and Fang if you want to know more about that. Yeul couldn't talk to me because we live on different planes of existence, but sometimes, when I get really close to dying— Hope, don't look at me like that, okay? It happens more than you'd think!" Hope said nothing, but his lip twitched. "When I get close to dying, Yeul will appear, just like she's alive, and she'll sit next to me. I think she keeps me alive longer. But this time, she made me see something, like she did when she showed me her prophecy. I saw Ven's face, and heard his name, and then I saw what he becomes."

"What do you mean?" Roxas whispered, his chest clenching with fear. Noel brushed passed him, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Your brother is going to end the world one day," Noel said without looking back. "Sorry to say. I'm going to go find my sword. This was really stupid. I don't know why I pulled that bow on you. Forget that even happened."

* * *

Riku coughed, blood spurting from his lips, and his blue-green eyes widened in shock and pain. Xion dropped down beside him, grabbing his arm. "I'm sorry," she gasped. He looked at her, and he let out a wet, choking laugh. He stared up at the sky, his lips trembling, and blood smearing across his mouth as he tried to speak.

"No." The word was strangled, and sputtered, and blood soaked. But he smiled as he said it.

"Xion…" Terra whispered, struggling to sit upright. She looked up at him, her eyes gleaming with tears.

"Heal him," she gasped, reaching over Riku's body and grasping the strange diamond shaped bullet. "Please!"

"I can't…" Terra said, his voice trembling.

Xion looked at him, her eyes desperate, but after a few moments she steeled herself. She slumped, and averted her eyes. "I must deserve this…"

"No," Riku spat, his voice wet with blood, and it shook as he attempted to move his head. "No."

"No," Terra agreed, pulling himself up. "This was the only way."

Riku glanced at Terra, and he gave a little smile, toothy and crimson. "Yes," he said, in a small, choking voice. He drew a breath, his eyes still stuck on Terra, but no longer seeing him. He had no need to let the breath out again.

Terra stared at his cousin, some kind of icy feeling taking over his innards, but other than that, he felt nothing. His mind wasn't working properly. He couldn't even think about the possibility of this being a dream. He knew better. So he looked to Xion, who was crying silently in a slump beside Riku's body. She glanced up at Terra, tear tracks staining her face, and Terra sighed. Perhaps _he_ deserved this…

"Don't look," Terra whispered, rising awkwardly to his feet, pain shooting up his abdomen. Xion did not object as he pulled her up by her arms, dragging her back from the body. Terra didn't know where Cloud was, but when he glanced at the fallen column, Zack's body was gone from it. Terra glanced down at Xion, and he felt all the aches and sores from the day hit him, and hit him hard. He pulled her gently and lead her to a chunk of ground that had been dislodged, and now was erected like a headstone. Terra slid down against it, and Xion followed, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry I killed him," she whispered. Terra shrugged and leaned his head back.

"You saved my life," Terra croaked, his eyes moving across the afternoon sky. "And I would've done it if you hadn't. I was planning to. Don't be sorry."

"He asked me to do it." Xion pushed her hair back, looking a little stronger. She began to smile a little. "I have no idea what to do now."

"I don't either," he admitted, realizing he'd never really talked to this girl before. "I want to go home, to be honest."

Xion did not reply to this, and instead she continued to smile, her face flushed and her eyes puffy, and her fingers stained red. They sat in silence, staring at the sky with vague interest. They did not speak again until three disgruntled teenagers came stumbling into the courtyard.

"Aqua?" Terra perked, peering around the slab of stone he was leaning against. The girl stared at him, her face sweaty, and smeared with blood. Her hair stuck to her neck, dampened dark blue, and her clothes were torn and bloody. Terra was sure his were in a similar condition. "Where's Ven?"

"He's alright," she said softly, her voice hoarse, but loud in the silence. "What about you?"

"Alive." He smiled weakly, pushing himself to his feet. His body trembled, pain running all throughout his body, branching like a lightning strike. Terra blinked as he noticed the third teenager. "Holy shit, you're alive."

Sora gave a tiny laugh, and he rubbed his neck. His eyes looked hollow. "I'm alive," he agreed, nodding slightly. "Please don't ask how." But the boy's smile slid from his face as he glanced around the courtyard. Terra didn't need to follow his gaze to know what he was staring at.

"Riku?" Sora gasped, his voice going high, and he sprinted past Aqua, dropping to his knees beside his friend. "Riku!"

Kairi stood in the entrance, looking pale, her face betraying nothing but utter fear. She backed up, shaking her head as Sora yanked the long bullet from Riku's stomach, and shook him, shouting his name. Xion stood quietly behind Terra, observing with tired eyes. Terra walked toward Aqua, and she glanced at him, saying nothing.

They stood side by side, staring as Sora tried to awaken his friend in vain, and then Aqua turned to Terra, her eyes wide. "Terra," she said, her voice deadly serious. "If I die before you, don't cry over me."

He stared at her, blinking slowly in confusion. It seemed like an odd request, but he nodded. "O…kay?" He watched her, feeling scared by the strange vibe he was getting from her. "What happened, Aqua?"

She tensed, folding her arms across her chest and glancing away from him. "Vanitas is dead," she said, shrugging, her jaw tight.

Terra watched her, feeling a sinking feeling. "You… killed him?" he asked quietly.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay."

She glanced at Xion, her eyebrows raising. She looked back at Kairi, and she turned, walking toward her sister. Terra turned to Sora and moved toward him, gesturing for Xion to stay where she was. He approached the boy slowly, and stood behind his sobbing form for a moment before he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Terra said quietly. The boy looked up, and Terra flinched. He looked angry. He looked like…

"You're a red man," he said, his voice low. Terra nodded. "Did you kill him?"

Terra hesitated for a moment, his eyes on Sora's face, and he said with a breath, "Yes."

Sora's face erupted in anger, and he looked as if he was about to jump up and strangle Terra right there, but his head snapped downward, and he said nothing. Terra closed his eyes, nodding slowly. He could live with the hate. He did not know what to do with Xion, but he owed her his life, and he could at least spare her the pain of being hated.

But she seemed not to understand.

"You're lying," she said, her voice full of surprise. "Sora, I killed him. I killed Riku."

Sora looked at her sharply, and Terra looked back at her, giving her a long look. She ignored it. "He asked me to," she said. "And he was about to kill Terra."

"Riku would never do that!" Sora snarled, and Terra took a tentative step back.

"Xehanort took his body," Terra said slowly, watching as the boy's wild gaze fell on his face. "Don't you remember?"

"No," Sora said stiffly.

"It's true." Terra turned to stare as Kairi walked up slowly behind him, Aqua in tow. She looked at Terra, something strange in her eyes, like fear. "Sora, Riku tried to hurt us. Or at least Xehanort did, using Riku's body. We couldn't stop this."

Sora was silent for a long moment, before he sighed and stood up. "I feel sick…" he murmured, closing his eyes. When he opened them, they fell on Aqua, and Terra followed his gaze. She was not looking at Sora, nor was she doing anything out of the ordinary, but Sora's eyes were fixed with an odd intensity on the blue haired girl. "I shouldn't be alive," Sora continued, his eyes widening. "I should be dead too."

"Sora…" Kairi shook her head, reaching out to him. He flinched away, stepping back, and he cried out as he stumbled and tripped backwards over Riku's body.

"No…" Sora gasped, scrambling to pick himself up. "Why is this happening…?"

"You were never meant to die, Sora," Aqua spoke up, her voice soft. "Now that you have a second chance at life, don't waste it."

* * *

"What are you doing?" Naminé's voice was panicked, and she stepped back in confusion. "I… ow. Why am I…"

"Shhh," Ven whispered, grabbing her and hugging her tight. "Naminé, I need you to trust me."

"I do trust you," she said vacantly, her voice muffled against his hair. "Ven, what's going on? Everything is fuzzy…"

"Okay," Ven breathed, resting his chin on her head, staring around with an expression of utter terror. "Oh, god, okay. Look, I can't explain it, I don't have time. I don't know how to say what I wanted to say…"

"Ven…" She pulled back and looked at him, and it occurred to Ven that she was actually staring at him, her eyes knowing, and confused, and she honestly understood everything around her. She was sane, and she was scared, and she was dying. "Start by telling me what's scaring you so badly."

His eyes widened, and he realized it all at once. Naminé was complex, and hard to peg, but she was intelligent, and he often forgot that. Her sanity had always been a question, but now he saw that she was in a better state of mind than he was. It shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did, the way he'd been acting.

"Miss Naminé," he said, his voice quiet. The world was hushed around him. "I have to save you. It's my job to."

"I made you promise," she said slowly, glancing at his hands. "I remember. What's wrong with me? I don't feel _that_ bad."

"You're sick," he murmured, feeling a tear slide down his cheek. She looked up, startled. "I'm going to make sure you live, though."

She peered up at his face, worry flashing in her eyes. "Live? I don't…" she blinked slowly, her words slurring, and she fell forward. Ven grabbed her, holding her in his arms for a long moment before pushed her back, and kissed her forehead lightly.

"Your memories are killing you," he said, grasping her head in his hands. She blinked dazedly at him, her face pale, and her mouth opening as she tried to say something. She didn't get the chance. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets, and she clamped her hands over her mouth to muffle a scream, sinking to her knees. Ven fell beside her, still gripping her head in his hands, and she began to cry, rocking herself as she twisted and writhed in a strange mental agony.

"No," she gasped through her fingers. "No, what— what are you going to do?" Tears ran fast down her cheeks, and she wiped at them with quivering fingers.

"Just close your eyes," Ven said, pulling her head to his chest. "You can still hear me, right?"

"Y—" she choked. "Yes?"

"Okay, then listen. I'm so sorry. I've thought a lot about this, as much as I could in the amount of time I was given, and I realize that it's awful. I have to do it, though, or else you'll be gone forever, and I can't let that happen."

She trembled against him. "I don't understand," she said quietly. Ven swallowed hard, and he looked up at the sky. He felt overwhelmed by her presence.

"I don't expect you to." He buried his face in her hair, and he sat there for a moment, letting this instant burn into his memory forever. And then his hands began to glow, and the girl screamed, loudly, out of fear more than pain, but he ignored it. Something cracked, and when Ven looked, he saw pieces of her neck crumbling into his palm.

"What are you doing?" she gasped, pulling away from him. "What… I… who…"

Ven smiled a little, watching as her skin began to flake and chip, her mouth turning white and cracking diagonally. The tears still on her cheeks melted through her flesh, leaving tracks of holes left behind where he could see the aftermath of the fire behind her. She did not move any more, her fear and shock locking her in place. Her eyes flashed, and she looked betrayed for a moment, before confusion returned.

"No…" she murmured, her lips cracking open. "No, no, no, no, _no_!" She lunged forward, grabbing what was left of Ven's shirt, and she cried into his chest, "No, please don't do this! I only just remembered your name, please don't make me forget again! I don't want to be nothing again!"

Ven said nothing, not fully understanding what she meant, but he didn't care. He could see her memories, all of them, flashing fast before his eyes. Her creation, her fear of knowing what she was, her submission into insanity, her fascination with him, their first interaction… he let all of these memories fall to pieces in his hands.

"No…" she whimpered. Ven stared at her, watching as her astral body chipped away, the pieces floating around her and drifting into the abyss. He wanted her to be alright, but he knew he was killing her. In a way, Ventus was killing Naminé to save her life. The girl he knew was dying, and he was responsible. But she didn't have to be his Naminé anymore. She didn't have to live with the memory of the awful world they'd lived in for years and years. Naminé was being strangled by her own memories, and it was Ventus's job, as her knight, to protect her from any threat. And he was.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, giving her a small, sad smile as the tears came, unrelenting. She stared at him, half of her astral body gone, and she continued chipping, a great gaping hole in her chest growing larger and larger. When she opened her mouth, Ven could see the scenery behind her.

"Sorry?" she echoed. "What is your name, manservant?"

Ven stared at her, feeling her memories crumbling beneath his power. He smiled gently. "Ven," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "Just Ven."

"Ven…" she tested the name on her tongue, and she smiled, her lips chipping horribly, and the pieces fell. She closed her eyes, her legs disappearing, crumbling beneath her, but her body stayed upright. Her eyes snapped open, and she looked at Ven with a pleading desperation, tears welling in her eyes. She spoke once more, and Ven had to look away from her face.

"_Please_…" she breathed as her mouth disintegrated, and pieces of her memory scattered across the little realm.

The rest of her body seemed to quake unsteadily for a moment, her eyes growing wide, and he could almost hear her scream as her body crashed and fell to pieces, scattering like glittering jewels, and falling to dust in a moment.

When it was over, Ven felt sick to his stomach. He didn't understand what he had just done. He felt an aching sadness inside his chest, and he wondered if he'd destroyed some of himself in the process of destroying Naminé. Ven rubbed his face tiredly and stood up, testing his aching muscles, and he nodded. He could do this.

He spun around and smiled big. "Hello, Miss Naminé!" he chirped to the blinking child sitting on the asphalt before him. She was identical to the girl he had just slain in every way possible, but unlike that girl, this one was truly meeting him for the first time. "Would you like to go home?"

The girl stared at him, her big round eyes dead inside. Perhaps she was too empty. "Home…?" she repeated, her head tilting, and her blonde hair curled around her face delicately.

* * *

_Happy VenNami Day! =D_


	90. Moving Forward

**White Knight: Ninety :Moving Forward**

The battle was over. Bodies were sprawled across the cobble, dead or unconscious, and Roxas stepped carefully. Luxord was gone, it seemed, but it looked as if he was the only one who had been smart enough to flee. As Roxas looked around, names sprung to his tongue easily. He recognized the pink haired man, Marluxia, who had attacked Terra earlier that day, and he saw the raging electric bitch who he'd fought with, Larxene, sitting in binds against a wall. Marluxia was dead, his face too bloody to really recognize, but his hair had given him away. Roxas swallowed and walked up to Axel, who was standing in front of another prisoner. Saix was unconscious, also bound, his face marred by gashes.

"I need you to come with me," Roxas whispered, glancing around the road. Serah was yelling at Noel, probably for attacking him, while Hope tended to Lightning's, Snow's, and Vanille's wounds. Fang was sitting beside him, talking fast.

Axel glanced down at the blond, and groaned loudly. He looked to be in bad shape, bruises appearing on his cheek, blood smeared across his nose and forehead. His clothes were stained red in some places, and as he turned he had a crooked gait, favoring his left leg. "You're kidding," Axel said, frowning deeply. "Look, we both need to pass out somewhere. Well, you don't look that bad, actually, but I need to rest for a bit before I do anymore fighting."

"We're not fighting." Roxas shook his head. "At least, I don't think we are. If Xehanort won, I don't think we'd still be here."

Axel regarded him with a blank stare, and he jerked his head in slight agreement. "Yeah, I guess." Axel ruffled his hair and sighed. "You can leave by yourself, you know."

"I don't want to go by myself," Roxas murmured, feeling uncomfortable.

"You scared, or something?"

Roxas did not reply, his lips drawing into a thin line. Axel blinked, and he glanced up at the sky, his guilt spilling onto his face. "So, you want me to come with?"

"Yeah." Roxas closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. "Please. I don't think I can do it alone."

"Well, if you put it like that…" Axel smiled a little. He stretched and winced a little. "Alright, kid, let's make this fast. I really want to just pass out right now."

"I agree," Roxas said with a dry laugh. And so the two of them began their trek through the dilapidated streets of the Light Region, Roxas using up most of his energy healing Axel. Roxas explained he'd get it back later, and that he'd be able to help with the carnage after he rested. As they passed ruined buildings and dying fires, Roxas felt sadness collapse onto him. This was his home, and it was in complete ruin because of Xehanort. Roxas hoped he was dead.

"So what happened? Where'd you go?" Axel asked as the cut through the backstreets.

"The alley," Roxas sighed. "I ran into some trouble in the form of an old buddy of my dad's. It's been happening a lot."

Axel whistled and stuck his hands into his pockets. "Damn, you and your daddy trouble."

"You don't even know the half of it." Roxas glanced at the sky, frowning a little. "I found him in the Dark Region."

Axel looked down at him with wide eyes, but he did not comment. "Oh," he said quietly, and that was that. They were silent for a while longer.

"What do you know about a girl named Yeul? A seer?" Roxas asked as they continued.

"Never heard of her." Axel scratched his head. "A seer? You think I know any of that? I can do a little fire magic, just enough that it's useful, but it didn't get me killed in the Dark Region."

"I was just hoping…" Roxas sighed again and shook his head. "Noel… this guy, Noel…"

"I know who he is. Dark Region kid over here, remember? When I went to school he was there."

"Oh." Roxas licked his lips, his mind racing with the story Noel had told him. He was still trying to make sense of it. "Well, he almost killed me because of some prophecy this girl, Yeul, told him about the future. Apparently Ven's going to cause the apocalypse."

"That's really weird, actually." Axel's eyebrows raised, and he laughed a little. "Can we not talk about the apocalypse right now? Man, I'm tired of fighting."

"You don't fight the apocalypse, Axel," Roxas said quietly. "You have to accept it."

"No." Axel stopped as they climbed a small hill, and Roxas looked back at him. "You fight until the end, got it memorized?"

Roxas stared at him blankly for a moment, before nodding, understanding the hard glare Axel was giving him, and he continued on. He pushed through some trees, and he froze as his home came into view, still in one piece, and as magnificent as ever. He exhaled, wondering why he ever left, and then he thought about Ven. This pushed him onwards.

"I hope everyone's okay," Roxas whispered as he walked cautiously across the grounds, and Axel followed silently. They edged near the courtyard, and Roxas felt himself rushing forward, tripping over himself to get nearer, to see what had become of his friends. He blinked and clambered over a pillar, stopping as eyes fell on him.

"Ven?" Terra asked first, blinking as he stepped away from Xion. She looked up as well.

"That's Roxas," she said, turning back to face Sora, who was staring at Roxas as well. "Ven is with Naminé."

"Is she okay?" Roxas blurted, rushing toward them, careful not to trip over risen earth. He was thinking about his oath to the blonde girl, to be her knight or to kill her.

"No." Xion was staring at the ground, and Roxas looked down as well. He cried out, stumbling back a few steps into Axel, who in turn pushed him aside.

"Riku?" Roxas gasped, looking between his surviving friends. Kairi was curled up against Aqua, who was staring at Sora. Sora looked incredibly angry, but he was looking at Roxas, and giving him a weak smile.

"Xehanort was controlling him," Kairi choked out, looking up at Roxas with puffy red eyes. "We didn't know how to get him out."

"Why does everyone insist on pinning the blame on themselves?" Xion asked, turning to look at Kairi, a frown gacing her lips. "I killed him. None of you had anything to do with it."

"There had to be some other way—!"

"Perhaps," Xion cut in, her eyes on his face. "But he asked me to kill him, so I did."

"He… he _asked_ you—?"

"Yes."

There was silence after that, the group of them simply staring at each other, not sure what to do next. Roxas sat down, breathing deeply as he tried to calm his nerves, and Aqua sat down near him, with Kairi not too far behind, sitting very close to her sister. Terra gave into his aches and sunk to the ground a few feet from Aqua, and Xion followed behind him. Sora continued standing alone.

Axel began to explain what had happened with the Rebellion, speaking of the interlopers without too much thought to them. Roxas wanted to cut in, and say that a few of them had known his father back in the day, but he couldn't find his voice. He felt cold, and frightened, and he didn't really know how to react to his friend's death. Was he sad? How could he be, when he felt nothing but an icy pit inside his stomach.

"Is everyone alright?" Aqua asked carefully.

"Not everyone," Axel said with a shrug. "There had to be a few casualties, you know? It's war."

"Who was it?" Terra leaned forward, his eyebrows furrowed. "Anyone we know?"

"How should I know who you know?" Axel scoffed, and Roxas elbowed him hard. "Ow! Damn it, Rox… uh, if you mean Rebellion people, yeah, there was a few. Auron went down, I think, and I saw a few other bodies, but I didn't go see who they were. Oh, and Aerith."

Aqua sucked in a breath, her eyes snapping shut, and she said nothing more. For the next few minutes Axel and Xion make awkward small talk, Roxas joining in only to make a short comment about Axel's idiocy. Aqua and Terra remained completely silent, and Terra had edged closer to her. She didn't need to open her eyes to know who it was, and she leaned against him.

"How long have you two been friends?" Xion whispered, the silence getting to them all.

"Oh, since a little after I got here, I guess?" Axel blinked, and looked at Roxas, who shrugged. "Yeah, I dunno. A few months."

"He made fun of me a lot," Roxas murmured. "And then he would yell at anyone else who tried to make fun of me. Like I was his possession or something."

"Lame." Axel scowled. "I didn't act like I owned you, okay? Friends can make fun of each other, but no one else can. That's how it works."

Roxas snorted softly, and Xion smiled a little. "Friendship is weird," Xion said softly.

"Understatement of the century, kiddo." Axel clicked his tongue and leaned back.

Roxas stared at his friend, and he frowned, his stomach churning a little as he thought of Riku. The boy was dead. He was dead, and he was Roxas's friend, and now he wondered why he wasn't crying. Roxas closed his eyes, absorbed for a moment in the disquieting silence around him, wondering why he was still alive after everything all of them have been through.

His brother's voice broke him out of his reverie.

"I guess I'm too late, huh?" the blond boy asked breathlessly, his blue eyes weary, and in his arms an unconscious Naminé. Roxas jumped to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Roxas gasped immediately, crossing half the courtyard by the time Ven took a step into it. He was staring at Riku, a sadness in his gaze that made Roxas guilty for not mourning over him more.

"I feel really sick, to be honest," Ven said, squirming a little. The more Roxas looked at him, the more fidgety he seemed to get, his lips twitching, and his tired eyes flitting away from his brother's face. "That doesn't really matter, though. Riku shouldn't be dead. I didn't let her give him a wish, so it's not fair. She should allow him a chance to live."

"What?" Roxas asked blankly as Ven passed him, Naminé's head lolling. "Ven, what happened? What's wrong with Naminé?"

"Nothing." Ven shrugged, setting her down gently beside Riku. "Not anymore."

"Ven," Aqua croaked, and Ven turned to face her. They stared at each other for a moment, and he reached out and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in forever," Ven murmured, staring at Terra and smiling, motioning for him to join in. The man obliged after a moment of hesitation, wrapping his burly arms around both of them.

"What happened, Ven?" Aqua whispered, resting her chin on his shoulder. She was gazing at Naminé's limp body. "What did you… what did you do?"

"I saved her." Ven pulled away from his friends, smiling dully, and rubbing his eyes. He turned to face Xion. "I'm sorry for treating you the way I did. You were right. Yeul's water pushed me to the edge of my sanity, and lately I haven't been the most stable to begin with. And now that it's over, I don't feel right. I don't feel like me anymore."

"Ven…" Aqua said, her eyes darting from Xion's shocked face to Ven's own weary one. Ven shook his head.

"I've been really dumb," he said loudly, looking to every face in their small crowd, from Aqua, to Xion, to Terra, to Roxas, to Axel, to Sora, to Kairi, to the corpse of Riku, and then to the stranger in his dear Naminé's skin. He stared at her, wondering if his choice had been the right one. He then decided it didn't matter now. "I realize I've been selfish, and wrong with a lot of my choices lately. I think drinking that stupid god potion made me see what a bastard I've been, and that everything I've done has been because of my own need to keep Naminé safe."

"We don't blame you for anything, Ven," Sora said, his voice hoarse, and his eyes red. He was standing beside Kairi, who had a hand tight around his arm. "To be honest, I… I really have no idea what's going on."

"Justified, since you were possessed half the time, and dead for the rest." Ven laughed a little, but the sound was off, too forced, and Ven's eyes didn't sparkle with humor or hope. Sora smiled though, this smile sparking something in his saddened gaze. "I was hoping I'd get here before my power ran out, but I think I spent too much time on Naminé. After I got out of the median I was normal again, and I felt like crap. I thought I'd have time to help Riku, but I didn't."

"I don't blame you," Sora said, cocking his head. Ven squinted at the boy, and he shook his head.

"You don't even know what I'm talking about," Ven said with a short, incredulous laugh. "Why would you say that?"

Sora blinked, and shifted awkwardly. He tried to smile, but it looked glum on his lips. "You wanted to help him," Sora said quietly. "That's what matters right?"

"It's over," Aqua breathed. "That's what matters. We're alive, and Riku… he should have been saved." She looked down solemnly, her eyes closing. "But we can mourn for him when the world is right again."

Terra bent beside his cousin, his head bowed low. The world wasn't right, and it seemed like it could never be right again. For all the pain he'd felt this was the worst blow. His cousin hadn't deserved this fate. "I want to create a world where this—" He placed a trembling hand on Riku's shoulder, "—_never_ happens again."

"Me too," Kairi murmured, closing her eyes and squeezing them tight. "That kind of magic… it shouldn't exist anywhere."

"The magic that created Naminé and Vanitas too," Aqua said, straightening up. "We need to destroy the lab."

"Aqua…" Ven murmured.

"Ven, we have to," Aqua said. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled a little. "But you said she's fine, so there's no need to worry."

"Aqua… I took her memories away."

Everyone turned to stare at Ven then, and they watched him with wide eyes and gaping mouths. He smiled, and he knew what he had to do now. Naminé was safe now, safe and innocent. Normal too, it seemed. For all the unhappiness in his life, she'd done a job of making him content. A purpose. That's what she'd given him. And now she'd given him a new purpose.

"What?" Aqua gasped, her hand sliding from his shoulder. "But… why?"

"Ven…" Roxas said, stepping toward him. "What did you do?"

"Something really dumb," Ven laughed, dropping beside Terra. "As usual. Look, I need someone to take care of her. Someone to make her feel normal, and happy. Give her a fake past, a fake life, make her feel like she belongs somewhere."

"Do you really think that will help her, Ven?" Aqua whispered.

Ven stared at the small girl's face, hoping that he'd hold the memory of it forever in his brain. That soft and peaceful face that he loved. And Ven smiled up at Aqua, smiled big and true. "Definitely."

* * *

_Not over yet. Actually, I hated this chapter so much while writing it, I had no intention of ever putting it up. Ever. But while I was writing the newest chapter of Twisted Lore, I realized how much trouble I was having after not writing it for so long. Writing KH characters felt weird, and unnatural? It was a pretty jarring revelation, so I'm trying to get back into the groove._

_I wrote this months ago, and it's not enough to call it a true ending. THERE IS AN EPILOGUE. It's just not written yet. Re-reading this, I honestly can't remember half the things that happened in this story, and it took me a moment to remember that Roxas lived in the Light Region and was friends with Riku. Yeah, it's bad. I'm hoping this will tie you over, until the time when I can write a proper epilogue? I'll never be able to wrap up ALL the plotlines... but I promise VenNami will be resolved, at the very least._

_Okay! So, I'm going to ask all of you to review this one. Last 'official' chapter. Basically, Nami will be better off without Ven. Truth. Also, go and read Twisted Lore! I'm desperate for attention for that story._

_Thank you all for sticking around this long, and I hope to write an epilogue soon! _


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